Brooklyn Building Collapse Kills 8 as Construction Site Violations Surface
Three-story structure crumbled into a neighboring excavation pit, injuring 17 people and sparking questions about safety orders issued earlier this year.
By Takeshi Faure ·
A three-story mixed-use building in Brooklyn collapsed Wednesday afternoon, killing at least eight people and injuring 17 others as it fell into a deep excavation pit next door. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the rising death toll on Thursday while emergency crews continued searching the rubble for survivors. The structure, which housed apartments above ground-floor commercial space, gave way while construction workers were digging on the adjacent lot.
Rescue operations involved roughly 250 firefighters who worked through the night using pickaxes, power saws, and rescue dogs. Fire Department Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore described the effort as dangerous and perilous, noting that every movement had to be choreographed. Teams pulled victims and survivors from piles of twisted wood and brick, including a pregnant woman who was hoisted out on a stretcher on Wednesday night. Two excavators removed large debris chunks, while firefighters passed buckets of rubble down a line to clear paths.
Brigitte Anama, a hair stylist at a salon across the street, heard a loud boom and saw smoke and dust engulfing the sidewalk. She recalled seeing emergency workers pull people from the site, including what appeared to be a child. Residents nearby urged each other to pray for the baby as the dust settled. Anama noted that the building shared a wall with a neighboring structure that remained standing, though the shared wall was shorn off, exposing rooms with clothes and shoes.
The Department of Buildings is investigating the cause of the collapse. Commissioner Ahmed Tigani stated that workers were excavating the empty lot when the building buckled. City records show that inspectors issued a stop work order in March after finding that the adjacent demolition lacked adequate overhead protection, such as netting, to shield neighboring buildings. In April, inspectors found that demolition work had resumed in violation of that order. Work was permitted to continue in May after corrections were made, and the developers hold active permits for excavation and foundation work.
Luis Caguana, 26, a construction worker from Ecuador who had lived in the U.S. for six years, was among those killed. His brother, Carlos Caguana, said Luis was the sole provider for his pregnant wife and young child. Caguana described the family's overwhelming grief, noting his brother-in-law could barely speak. The architect, property owner, and general contractor listed in city records have not responded to requests for comment.
Flatbush Avenue, a major thoroughfare, remained closed Thursday morning as crews continued their search. Heavy rain is forecast for Thursday afternoon, which Fire Commissioner Bonsignore warned could turn the site into mud and hinder operations. She vowed that firefighters would work through the rain if necessary. The next major update on the search status and official cause of the collapse is expected as the investigation progresses.
