At least two people died and more than a dozen others were injured, including seven children, when a three-story building collapsed in New York City on Wednesday, officials said.
FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said 19 patients were treated, including the two fatalities. Four people were in critical condition and 12 were listed as stable. A firefighter sustained minor injuries during the response.
The collapse happened in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood, where emergency crews continued searching the debris for possible survivors. Authorities had not determined how many people might still be trapped or what caused the building to give way.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the FDNY received a 911 call about the collapse at 1321 Flatbush Avenue at 4:01 p.m. Firefighters arrived within a minute and immediately began search-and-rescue efforts.
Firefighters sift through the rubble for survivors after a building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York. (NNYW)
“I am heartbroken to share that at this time, at least two New Yorkers have passed away,” Mamdani said at an evening news conference.
The FDNY previously told News Media that an unidentified person was killed when the building suddenly collapsed in Flatbush.
Officials did not disclose the children’s ages or say whether either of the people who died was a minor.
More than 250 fire and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene.
First responders work at the scene after a building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito cautioned that the site remained vulnerable to another collapse, describing the operation as “extremely dangerous” for emergency personnel.
“It’s a very unstable situation,” he said. “The adjoining building that remains partially intact is always a danger. Our main concern is the secondary collapse.”
Officials said crews could spend several days at the site searching for potential victims. Firefighters and police officers were also deploying K-9 units to examine the rubble.
Bonsignore highlighted the risks facing responders as they methodically worked through the unstable debris.
“Every move is choreographed and critically important to patient outcomes and member safety,” she said.
The collapsed building fell into an adjacent property that was an active construction site, officials said.
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Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said excavation work was underway at the neighboring site when the collapse occurred.
The site had approved plans for a three-story building, while an application for a nine-story building was still awaiting approval, Tigani said.
The NYPD advised drivers to expect traffic disruptions and street closures in the area.
Inspectors from the city’s Department of Buildings were at the scene “assisting with recovery operations and conducting structural stability inspections of nearby buildings,” the agency said.
FDNY personnel continue working at a major technical rescue operation in Brooklyn. (FDNY)
“We’re closely monitoring the building collapse on Bedford Avenue in Flatbush,” New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams wrote on X. “We’re praying for the safety of anyone who may be trapped and for the first responders working to reach them. Our thoughts are with everyone affected and their loved ones.”
Mamdani also urged residents to stay away from the area.
“First responders are on the scene of a building collapse on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, where they are working quickly to secure the location and assist New Yorkers,” Mamdani wrote in a social media post.
FDNY personnel respond after a building collapsed in Brooklyn. (FDNY)
“Flatbush Avenue is closed from Clarendon Road to Bedford Avenue — please avoid the area so rescue crews can work. We will be sharing what we learn as soon as we can confirm it,” he added. “As emergency operations continue, please join me in holding our neighbors and the members of this community in our hearts.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul said on X that her office “has reached out and offered its full support as authorities investigate what happened.”
FDNY personnel respond to a building collapse in Brooklyn. (Peter Gerber for News Media)
“I’m keeping them in my thoughts and praying for everyone affected,” she wrote. “My administration has reached out and offered its full support as authorities investigate what happened.”
The city’s Emergency Management office opened a reception center for residents affected by the collapse, with the Red Cross stationed nearby.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.