A catastrophic building collapse in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn has left two people dead and at least 17 others injured, according to the Fire Department of New York. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11, when a three-story building on Flatbush Avenue near Bedford Avenue fell into an adjacent excavation site. Among the victims were seven children and a firefighter who sustained minor injuries.
Emergency crews arrived within one minute of the collapse, deploying approximately 250 firefighters and emergency medical services personnel to the scene. K-9 units from both the FDNY and the NYPD assisted in the search for survivors. Aerial footage captured dozens of responders combing through large, unstable piles of rubble well into the evening, using flashlights as darkness fell.
At a later press conference, FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore stated that four of the injured were in critical condition, while the others suffered less serious injuries. She noted that the final number of victims could change rapidly as the operation continues. The department emphasized that it was not yet known how many people were inside the building at the time of the collapse or if all occupants had been accounted for.
Bonsignore described the situation as fragile, explaining that authorities were working in collaboration with the NYPD to determine if any missing persons reports matched the individuals in the building. The search is expected to take several days. Among the victims were construction workers and residents who were inside the structure when it gave way.
The collapsed building contained a business on the ground floor and multiple apartments. It was situated next to an excavation pit where a one-story building had been fully demolished in 2025. The Department of Buildings confirmed that excavation work was underway at the site with approved plans for a new three-story building. Although plans for a nine-story structure existed, the department stated those had not yet been approved.
In a separate account, the brother of Jose Luis Caguana, a 26-year-old construction worker from Ecuador who had lived in the United States for about six years, told NBC New York that he was killed in the collapse. His wife, who is pregnant and expecting soon, was described as being in a state of immense distress. The couple also has another young child.
Another survivor, a construction worker, credited his hammer with saving his life. His cousin told reporters that the worker had stepped out of the pit to retrieve the tool and was walking back when he heard a loud snap and debris fell on him. The worker survived with injuries that would have likely been worse without the tool's protection.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the scene as incredibly challenging, noting the precarious wreckage and dangerous voids beneath the surface. He indicated that the numbers of injured and deceased could change as work continued. The American Red Cross and the city's Office of Emergency Management opened a reception center at the Flatbush YMCA for displaced residents. As of 11 p.m., six households, comprising 11 adults and two children, had registered for emergency assistance.
A neighboring building that shared a wall with the collapsed structure remained standing, but its wall was shorn off, exposing interior rooms. Concerns about a secondary collapse persisted, adding complexity to the rescue efforts. Flatbush Avenue remained closed from Clarendon Road to Bedford Avenue through the night, and officials advised residents to avoid the area due to traffic delays. An investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing, with inspectors conducting structural stability checks on surrounding buildings.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences on social media, stating that her administration had reached out to offer full support to the families affected. She noted that she was praying for everyone involved as authorities investigated the events that led to the tragedy.
