Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published November 12, 2026
BROOKLYN, N.Y. The collapse occurred around 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Flatbush neighborhood. A three-story building fell into an open construction site next to it. The first 911 call came in at 4:01 p.m., the FDNY said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Thursday that eight people were killed and 17 others injured, including three firefighters. Six people were found dead at the scene and two died at the hospital. Two deaths were announced Wednesday and the rest were confirmed Thursday. Officials said two people were critically hurt.
Authorities said late Wednesday that at least seven children were among the injured or dead. Four of the victims found Thursday are believed to be construction workers, and two are young children. One worker, 26-year-old Jose Luis Caguana, was identified by his brother as among the dead. Officials have warned that the casualty figures remain fluid.
The scene
The building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. had a store at street level and apartments above. It fell into an open excavation at 2625 Bedford Ave. The collapse also tore the side off another building. About 250 firefighters worked the scene. Rescuers searched through the night with dogs. The city and the Red Cross opened a reception center for displaced residents at the Flatbush YMCA.
Cause and investigation
The cause has not been determined. Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said crews were digging at the adjacent site when the building came down. The developer held an active permit for excavation and foundation work, and the city issued a full stop-work order. The order cites unsafe construction operations that caused the adjacent building to collapse. The site was approved for a three-story building. Plans for a nine-story building had not been approved.
The New York Post, citing city records, reported that inspectors issued violations at the site in March and April, including for demolition continuing despite a stop-work order. The city has suspended permits at the property. The demolition contractor told CBS News New York it had finished its work months earlier and was not involved in the current excavation. Officials have not determined whether the excavation or earlier violations contributed.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is working with the Department of Buildings and law enforcement to determine whether any criminal conduct contributed. One structural analyst noted that the collapsed building is nearly 100 years old and has a rubble foundation. Others have pointed to the owner’s alleged history of tenant neglect.
Background
This is the second high-profile structural problem with a New York building in the past five months. (wabe)
I found no newer figures or official announcements after Thursday’s reporting, so the death toll could still change.
