At least eight people died, and 17 others were injured, including three firefighters, after a three-storey residential building collapsed fully into an adjacent excavation site in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Built in 1930, the structure at 2625 Bedford Avenue caved in around 4 PM local time, shearing off the side wall of a neighbouring building and exposing apartment interiors.
City Commissioner Ahmed Tigani stated that construction workers were actively excavating an empty lot next door for a new development when the collapse occurred, though an official investigation into the exact cause is underway.
Amid the tragedy, a six-month-pregnant woman was successfully pulled alive from the rubble and rushed to a hospital, offering a moment of relief to her family.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed profound grief in a post on X, confirming that approximately 250 firefighters were deployed to the scene for ongoing rescue operations.
Rescue workers have spent the night searching the site of yesterday’s building collapse, working under extremely dangerous conditions to find and save anyone who may still be trapped.
I am heartbroken that eight New Yorkers have now lost their lives and at least 17 have been injured, including three firefighters.
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.
Rescue operations are ongoing. Please stay clear of the area and keep those affected, and our first responders risking their lives in these efforts, in your thoughts.
If you are unable to reach someone you believe may have been affected by the collapse, please call 311. If you are outside New York City, call 212-639-9675
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) November 12, 2026
Authorities reported that seven of the casualties were children, while emergency responders continue to comb through the debris.
