Update: Death Toll Rises to 8 in Brooklyn Building Collapse, Alleged Violations at Adjacent Construction Site Under Investigation
by Simon Kent · BreitbartAt least eight people are thought to have died after a three-story residential building in Brooklyn, New York City, collapsed at the edge of a construction site.
Emergency workers are still searching for other possible survivors trapped in the rubble centered on the Flatbush neighborhood.
AP reports search crews peered into crevices in the rubble, extracting victims and at least one survivor over and into the early hours of this morning.
Some 18 people are known to have been injured, including three firefighters, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, per the AP report.
The building gave way Wednesday afternoon while construction workers were digging at a neighboring lot, a city official said.
The cause remains under investigation with the city Department of Buildings leading the way to determine the cause.
The AP report notes New York City’s buildings commissioner, Ahmed Tigani, said Wednesday construction workers were excavating the empty lot next door when the building came down.
“We have immediately launched a full investigation into how exactly this happened with our law enforcement partners, and we will be looking into all aspects of the building and the neighboring construction site,” he said at the scene.
The architect, property owner and general contractor listed in city records have not responded to phone and email messages seeking comment.
Rescuers now face a race against the clock as a storm is set to roll in at noon, which could complicate their efforts.
“Rain can flood those voids where they are still searching and destabilize the ground they are on,” Laura Kavanagh, the city’s former fire commissioner, told the NY Times.
More to come…