Five Dead, 17 Injured in Three-Story Brooklyn Building Collapse
A residential structure on Flatbush Avenue gave way on Wednesday afternoon, leaving families to wait for answers while search crews work through the rubble.
By Lucas Sheridan ·
At least five residents died and 17 others suffered injuries when a three-story building collapsed in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) confirmed the deaths on Thursday, noting that four of the injured remain in critical condition. The incident occurred at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue around 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
The building, which housed several apartments above a ground-floor commercial space, fell into a nearby excavation site. Authorities stated that workers were performing digging operations at the time of the collapse. The Department of Buildings reported that the crew held approved plans for a three-story structure. Separate plans for a nine-story building existed but had not yet received final approval. A neighboring single-story building had been fully demolished at that location in 2025.
FDNY units arrived within one minute of the initial call. Two people were pulled from the debris shortly after the structure gave way. By nightfall, approximately 250 firefighters and paramedics had joined the effort. Search teams included canine units from both the FDNY and the New York City Police Department. Crews used drones to survey the site while excavating by hand with flashlights as darkness fell.
One confirmed victim is José Luis Caguana, a 26-year-old construction worker from Ecuador. His brother, Carlos, told Telemundo 47 that Caguana was the sole financial support for his family. Caguana leaves behind a young child, aged four or five, and a wife who is currently pregnant. Carlos described the family's grief, stating that his sister-in-law is overwhelmed and struggling to find words to express her pain.
FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said the death toll could change "within minutes" as the search continues. The department does not know exactly how many people were inside the building when it collapsed. Officials expect the search operation to last several days as they clear unstable piles of brick and wood from the excavation pit.
The owner of the construction project is a limited liability company led by Robert Fischman and his partners. The firm did not respond to immediate messages seeking comment. Telemundo 47 was also unable to reach the building's property owner for additional information regarding the site's history or safety inspections.
