Two people were confirmed dead and at least 17 others were injured, seven of them children, when a three‑story building on Flatbush Avenue near Bedford Avenue collapsed on Wednesday afternoon. The incident, which occurred around 4 p.m., sent the structure into a nearby construction pit, sending bricks, wood and debris into the air.
Emergency response
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) arrived on scene within a minute and immediately began a large‑scale rescue operation. Roughly 250 firefighters, EMS personnel, K‑9 units from the FDNY and the NYPD, and additional support crews have been working around the clock to locate survivors.
Arial footage captured dozens of firefighters combing through unstable piles of rubble well into the evening. Video from a local news helicopter showed an injured person being pulled from the debris at about 4:45 p.m., followed by two more victims on stretchers after 6:30 p.m.
Victims and families
Among the injured were construction workers and residents who were inside the building at the time of the collapse. The FDNY has not released the ages or identities of the two deceased. One family member told reporters that his brother, 26‑year‑old Jose Luis Caguana, an immigrant from Ecuador who had been in the United States for about six years, was killed. Caguana’s pregnant wife and another young child were left devastated by the loss.
Cause and investigation
Officials said the building was under excavation work at the time of the collapse. The Department of Buildings (DOB) confirmed that the site had approved plans for a three‑story structure, with a separate proposal for a nine‑story building that had not yet been approved. The collapsed building had been constructed next to a demolition site where a one‑story building was removed in the summer of 2025.
Investigators from the FDNY, the DOB, and other city agencies are on scene conducting structural stability inspections of surrounding buildings and gathering evidence to determine the exact cause of the failure.
City response
Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the press, describing the situation as “very fragile” and promising that rescue efforts would continue until everyone is accounted for. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore added that the number of victims could change “by the minute” as the operation proceeds.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences on social media, noting that her administration has reached out to offer full support to the families and authorities investigating the tragedy.
Community assistance
The American Red Cross deployed a team to the site and opened a reception center for displaced residents. The city’s Office of Emergency Management advised the public to avoid the area, noting that Flatbush Avenue remained closed from Clarendon Road to Bedford Avenue through the night and that traffic delays and road closures were expected.
Neighbors and local businesses have rallied to provide food, clothing, and other necessities to those affected, underscoring the community’s resilience in the face of disaster.
Next steps
The investigation remains ongoing, with city officials promising regular updates as more information becomes available. Residents are urged to stay informed through official channels and to heed any further road closures or safety advisories.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut (Hartford) — read the source article.
