Brooklyn building collapse leaves one dead and firefighters scrambling to rescue trapped people
One person has died and multiple others have been hospitalized after a building partially collapsed Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn, triggering a massive, high-risk technical rescue operation by the FDNY.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene along Bedford Avenue, between Newkirk and Flatbush avenues, shortly after 4 p.m. following panicked reports that a building facade had suddenly collapsed, trapping victims beneath mountains of brick, concrete, and splintered timber.
First responders pulled one victim from the heavy debris, who was pronounced dead on the scene by EMS personnel, according to the NYPD.
Critical injuries and rescues underway
A second victim was pulled from the wreckage and rushed to Kings County Hospital Center in critical condition. Several other victims were transported to area hospitals, though the extent of their injuries was not immediately clear.
At the latest count, approximately six people are in critical condition, according to officials, with six others also injured.
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A rescue is ongoing to pull one more person from the rubble, with the injured mostly consisting of construction workers and some residents.
The building that collapsed included a store at ground level and at least one apartment upstairs.
Dramatic aerial footage and video from the scene showed dozens of firefighters scouring piles of pulverized rubble, using power saws and digging with their bare hands while canines and aerial drones were deployed to locate any remaining survivors.
As darkness fell over Flatbush, rescue personnel set up floodlights and technical listening devices across the perimeter, treating the site as an active rescue zone.
Developing Investigation
The cause of the sudden structural failure has not yet been determined.
City records indicate active construction activity in the immediate vicinity of the collapse site, leaving inspectors from the Department of Buildings on scene to evaluate whether excavation or adjacent foundation work destabilized the standing structure.
The NYC Emergency Management department issued advisories urging residents and motorists to steer clear of Bedford, Newkirk, and Flatbush avenues as road closures, heavy apparatus, and emergency cordons remain in place throughout the evening.
This is a breaking story, more news to follow.
Phoebe Tonks
