Brooklyn building collapse: 6 adults and 2 children dead, and 18 others injured, as rescuers search for survivors; pregnant woman pulled from rubble

Six adults and two children were among the eight people who died on Wednesday, when a three-story building collapsed in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at a Thursday afternoon press conference.

The four-unit apartment building crumpled into the adjoining construction site next to it at about 4 p.m. ET.

"This has been a devastating evening and morning for our city," Mamdani said.

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Two of the adults who died were construction workers. The mayor also confirmed that 18 other people were injured, including 14 civilians and four firefighters. The vast majority of those injured are being treated at hospitals and are in stable condition, with one person in critical condition.

"I want to take a moment to remember those we have so senselessly lost. These were our friends and our neighbors, parents and children," Mamdani said. "Young families building their lives in our city and immigrants from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Trinidad and beyond. Let us continue to hold close those who have been plunged into unimaginable grief and pray for a full and rapid recovery for every New Yorker injured."

Mamdani also thanked the first responders and construction workers who helped dig through the rubble to find survivors. "People are alive today because of their heroism yesterday," he said.

"Firefighters arrived on the scene in less than one minute after the 911 call first came in," Mamdani added. About 250 first responders searched for survivors into the night and are working the scene.

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He said the city and American Red Cross will continue to provide "expanded services" from the Flatbush YMCA for residents displaced by the building collapse, including temporary housing, assistance with social services and mental health support.

Mamdani said an investigation into the construction site and the collapsed building has already begun, with law enforcement leading it. No official cause for the collapse has been released.

"There are five main entities involved with this construction site, or associated with approximately 100 other sites across the city. Our Department of Buildings is commencing sweeps of those sites today," he said.

On Wednesday, the DOB issued a full stop-work order for the construction site at 2625 Bedford Avenue due to the collapse of the building at 1321 Flatbush Ave.

FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said Thursday's rainstorm wouldn't stop rescue operations at the collapse site.

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"It will definitely hinder our efforts, but this type of an emergency is something our members train extensively for and we will be here until we are 100% sure there are no more people trapped," Bonsignore said, adding, "To be clear, we have not shifted from rescue to recovery. We are still in the search and rescue phase. We have moved into a general debris removal and we are using grapplers to move big chunks of the debris so we can search beneath them."

A pregnant woman was among those pulled out of the rubble. Footage broadcast by CBS News New York showed her being taken away on a stretcher more than two hours after the building collapsed, while her husband waited in anguish.

"She is alive. She is still alive. I'm very happy. I'm very happy. I'm very happy. I thank all of you guys," he told CBS News New York after she was rescued. "She's pregnant, six months."

Earlier, the man had been seen frantically looking for her. "I've heard nothing. She's inside the building. She's pregnant," he told reporters.

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One resident, Anderson Velez, told the New York Post he was at work in the Bronx when his wife called him and said their children, ages 7 and 2, were trapped.

"She called me when the building collapsed while she was inside with rubble on top of her. She was screaming for someone to help get my son out and then the call cut off," he said, confirming his family was now safe.

An eyewitness, Melissa Orna, told the New York Times: "The whole building started shaking, and then it just fell."

Officials have described the search and rescue mission as "very dangerous," with firefighters and police officers punching holes through rubble in the search for survivors.

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"Multiple people from the building and the construction site were trapped," Bonsignore said on Wednesday. "This will be a prolonged operation. Collapse operations are extremely dangerous. Every move is choreographed and critically important to patient outcomes and member safety. Members have been working methodically and haven't stopped since they arrived."

In April, the New York City Department of Buildings issued a violation to a demolition contractor at the construction site who "unlawfully continued work while on notice of a Stop Work Order," according to the violation. Inspectors noted that a single-story building was demolished despite the city's order to stop work. The violation was resolved in October, according to DOB records.

Yahoo has requested comment from the DOB about why the city ordered a work stoppage in the first place.

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