Overview
- A three‑story mixed‑use building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush fell into an adjacent excavation just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, crushing debris into the open construction pit and tearing away part of the neighboring building at 1323 Flatbush Avenue.
- Firefighters launched a major technical rescue with more than 250 personnel, K‑9s, drones and hand tools and continued searching through the night for any additional victims.
- Officials confirmed two people died and 17 were injured, including children and people in critical condition; multiple survivors were extricated from the rubble, one reported to be pregnant.
- City records show the adjacent lot had prior demolition activity and a Department of Buildings violation in April that was later listed as resolved after a $10,000 penalty, and inspectors issued a stop‑work order at the site after the collapse.
- The Department of Buildings is on scene conducting structural inspections while the Brooklyn district attorney coordinates with DOB and law enforcement to determine whether criminal conduct or unsafe excavation practices contributed to the collapse, and a Red Cross reception center was opened for displaced residents.