The toll from the collapse of a three-story building in Brooklyn has worsened. According to an update from local authorities in New York, two deaths and 19 injuries have so far been confirmed, while the search-and-rescue operation continues under difficult conditions and with a high risk of another collapse.
The toll rose after an update from authorities
According to local authorities, the death toll from the building collapse has risen to two, while the number of injured has reached 19.
Among the injured, seven children and one firefighter have been reported. Four people are in critical condition, according to the same official account.
Difficult operation amid unstable rubble
More than 250 firefighters have been deployed at the scene to search for survivors beneath the rubble. The operation is taking place in an area considered unstable, increasing fears of another collapse.
Aerial footage showed hundreds of rescue personnel working among the remains of the building, while in some cases cutting tools were used to open passages through the debris.
What city officials said
The death of at least two people was confirmed by New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani, who described the incident as catastrophic. According to him, the first firefighter crews arrived just one minute after the initial call to the emergency number.
For her part, New York Fire Department Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said this was a long-term operation and that the number of people who have required medical assistance currently stands at 19.
The causes remain under investigation
The collapse happened on Wednesday afternoon on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. At this stage, authorities have not given a final cause for the incident.
The investigation is ongoing, while the main focus remains on searching the rubble and pulling out any people who may have been trapped.
In footage circulating online, firefighters can be seen pulling a man from the rubble and transporting him on a stretcher with great care.
The toll remains preliminary and may change as the operation at the scene continues.