At least eight are dead and 18 are injured following the collapse of a three-story mixed-use building in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Wednesday evening.
The four-unit building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. fell into an active construction site next door. Excavation work was taking place at 2625 Bedford Ave. at the time of the incident.
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More than 250 firefighters and emergency medical services personnel responded to the scene. Rescue operations continued through the night and are likely to continue for days, as it is unknown how many people are missing, officials said.
Two children and two construction workers are among those who died. Four firefighters were injured.
The exact cause of the collapse isn’t yet known, but city records reported by multiple outlets and confirmed by Bisnow show that the construction site was previously found in violation for not taking proper precautions during the excavation process.
The city’s enforcement agencies will investigate the incident and conduct sweeps of roughly 100 sites affiliated with five different entities linked to the project under construction, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said during a press conference Thursday.
“I am incredibly troubled,” Mamdani said. “These are the examples of why we are conducting a full and thorough investigation and why the investigation will not stop at the sites that we are here to speak about today but will extend to any and all sites that those who operated these sites are currently operating across our city.”
In March, the Environmental Control Board issued a violation to the construction site. Documents filed with the Department of Buildings say that “full demolition had started and required overhead protection was not installed or provided for adjacent properties.”
The document added that failure to comply “creates hazards to public and properties.”
The site was issued another violation in April due to continued demolition work while on notice of a stop-work order.
The Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings found the demolition contractor in violation both times and issued the company a $2,500 fine, followed by a $10K fine. The violations have since been resolved, according to OATH’s online database.
The New York Times reported that an inspection filed with the DOB in March noted that the north facade of the collapsed building was in “poor condition with noticeable cracks.”
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Work was in progress on a three-story, 24,500 SF mixed-use building with eight residences, according to permits filed with the city. Robert Fischman of WG Facility X LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications. He couldn’t be reached by Bisnow.
DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said during a press conference Wednesday night that the developer was seeking to expand the plans to nine stories, but the new permit hadn’t yet been approved.
A stop-work order was issued following the collapse.
The incident also tore down the wall of an adjacent building, leaving bedrooms and stairways exposed.
“The adjoining building that remains partially intact is always a danger,” New York City Fire Department Chief John Esposito said Wednesday. “The main concern is a secondary collapse, but we’ve taken measures to keep an eye on that.”
The city shut down water mains near the site to allow emergency crews to conduct search and rescue efforts, impacting approximately 100 buildings, according to the Times. Water has since been restored to the area.
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