Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, Nov 12: At least two people were killed and 10 others injured after a three-storey building collapsed near a construction site in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York City, on Wednesday, authorities said.
Rescue teams launched an extensive search operation amid fears that several people could be trapped beneath the debris.
Firefighters rushed to the scene in the Flatbush area around 4 pm. Emergency personnel were seen combing through the rubble, climbing over debris and using their hands and power saws to clear the wreckage.
According to officials, two people died in the collapse, while at least four others were taken to hospital in critical condition. Six more people sustained minor injuries and were hospitalised.
At around 6.30 pm, firefighters rescued a dust-covered person alive from a hole dug through the rubble. The survivor was placed on a stretcher and rushed to a waiting ambulance.
The collapsed building stood beside a plot where a single-storey structure had been demolished to make way for a new construction project. Excavation work was underway when the building collapsed, sending bricks, timber and other debris into the construction pit.
An adjoining building that shared a wall with the collapsed structure remained standing, although part of its wall was torn away, exposing the interiors of rooms.
Rescue teams continued their search using drones and sniffer dogs, while firefighters manually removed chunks of debris. Emergency workers used flashlights to continue the operation after darkness fell.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) urged residents and commuters to avoid the area around Bedford Avenue and Flatbush Avenue. It warned of road closures and traffic delays and advised motorists to take alternative routes to facilitate rescue operations.
New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani said emergency responders were working to secure the site and assist those affected.
In a post on X, Mamdani announced that Flatbush Avenue was closed between Clarendon Road and Bedford Avenue and urged residents to stay away from the area to allow rescue teams to work.
He said further information would be shared once officials could confirm the details of the incident. He also expressed solidarity with the affected families and the local community.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and said her administration had offered full support as authorities investigated the cause of the collapse.