Eight bodies have been recovered from the rubble of a three-story building that collapsed in New York City on Wednesday afternoon, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday morning.
The FDNY initially reported two fatalities after the building collapsed in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood, but the death toll has continued to rise as rescue crews find more bodies.
“I am heartbroken that eight New Yorkers have now lost their lives and at least 17 have been injured, including three firefighters,” Mamdani said in a social media post. “There are no words for a loss of this magnitude. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we have lost, those who are injured and everyone grieving today.”
Of those injured, four were taken to area hospitals in critical condition, while the others sustained minor or non-life-threatening injuries. The rescue operation is ongoing with over 250 fire and EMS personnel on the scene.
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“Please stay clear of the area and keep those affected, and our first responders risking their lives in these efforts, in your thoughts,” Mamdani said.
At a press conference on Wednesday evening, Mamdani said the FDNY received a 911 call reporting the collapse at 1321 Flatbush Avenue at 4:01 p.m. Firefighters arrived within one minute and immediately launched efforts to find people who may still be trapped, the mayor said.
Rescue crews are deploying drones to survey the wreckage from above and vacuum trucks to safely remove debris as they search for anyone who may still be buried.
A cause has not been determined. The city’s Department of Buildings (DOB), which has inspectors and engineers on the scene, has launched an investigation.
The building, which had a store at street level and apartments upstairs, fell into an open construction site next door at 2625 Bedford Avenue.
The developers at 2625 Bedford Avenue had active permits for excavation and foundation work in order to construct a new building, which is set to be three stories tall.
In March, the DOB issued a stop work order after inspectors found the developers had demolished the existing building on the site without providing adequate shielding to neighboring properties, including 1321 Flatbush Avenue.
Just over a month later, DOB investigators found out that the demolition had continued in violation of the stop work order, which resulted in the contractor being fined $10,000, per city records.
By May, the stop work order was lifted after the developers came into compliance, according to the DOB.
The DOB said Wednesday’s collapse at 1321 Flatbush Avenue prompted officials to once again halt all work at 2625 Bedford Avenue.