Brooklyn building collapse: How the deadly Flatbush collapse unfolded

Brooklyn building collapse: How the deadly Flatbush collapse unfolded Thursday, November 12, 2026 12:39PM Anthony Carlo has details on the ongoing search and rescue efforts. AP Photo/Ryan Murphy FLATBUSH, Brooklyn (WABC) -- UPDATE: The death toll has risen to eight. Read the latest on the Brooklyn building collapse here. A partial building collapse in Flatbush, Brooklyn, has left at least two people dead and 17 others injured as firefighters continue efforts to rescue any additional victims who may still be trapped in the rubble, according to officials. The FDNY says it happened just after 4 p.m. after a three-story building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. collapsed into an open construction site at 2625 Bedford Ave. Workers were actively excavating the construction site when the collapse occurred. Follow live blog updates on abc7NY In addition, part of the building on the corner, 1323 Flatbush Ave., also appeared to have been sheared away, completely exposing apartments inside. That building is still standing. Sonia Rincon has more. Officials said firefighters arrived in less than a minute and immediately began searching through the wreckage for survivors. "They encountered people trapped in the adjacent building that was part of the collapse. They immediately took action to remove those people from danger," said FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito. Officials said at least two people are dead and 17 were injured. Of the injured, FDNY officials said four are in critical condition, four suffered non-life-threatening injuries and nine others, including one firefighter, suffered minor injuries. The victims include seven children, FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said, without specifying if they were among the deceased. Rescuers pulled victims from the debris one by one, including several children and a pregnant woman . The effort itself carried significant risks. A pregnant woman may have been pulled from rubble after a building partially collapsed in Brooklyn. "This has been an incredibly challenging and fast moving situation," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. Bonsignore said officials don't know how many people were in the building when it collapsed. Searches are continuing in void spaces where victims could be, amid concerns about secondary collapses. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and city officials provided an update on the deadly building collapse in Flatbush. The FDNY is using a drone to locate any other possible victims and is also using buckets and vacuum trucks to remove debris. Department of Buildings inspectors are on the scene, assisting with recovery operations and inspecting the structural stability of nearby buildings. The NYPD is asking the public to avoid the area surrounding Bedford Avenue and Flatbush Avenue. Street closures and traffic delays are expected, and officials are asking the public to consider alternate routes. Pregnant woman rescued from Brooklyn collapse rubble, husband says Worker killed, another missing after bridge scaffolding collapse on Loop Parkway Bridge Javits Frimpong: 17-year-old charged with murder in Bronx shooting death of 15-year-old ALSO WATCH | Building at center of collapse had April violation Dan Krauth outlines when the building was built, and a resolved violation from April. New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) has opened a reception center for impacted residents with the Red Cross at the Flatbush YMCA at 1401 Flatbush Ave. The operations are ongoing. ---------- * More Brooklyn news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Download our connected TV app Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Report a correction or typo Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved. Related Topics NEW YORK CITY BROOKLYN COLLAPSE Watch Live ON NOW Pregnant woman rescued from Brooklyn collapse rubble, husband says Worker killed, another missing after bridge scaffolding collapse on Loop Parkway Bridge Javits Frimpong: 17-year-old charged with murder in Bronx shooting death of 15-year-old 8 dead, 17 injured in Flatbush, Brooklyn building collapse 1 hour ago Former NFL coach Rex Ryan surrenders on hit-and-run charges involving 2 pedestrians