At least eight people, including two children, have been killed in a building collapse in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, prompting Mayor Zohran Mamdani to expand investigations into more than 100 construction sites linked to companies associated with the incident.
Rescue operations at the scene of the collapse, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, were concluded on Thursday after emergency officials determined that no more victims were trapped beneath the debris.
The incident occurred around 4pm on Wednesday when an apartment building in the Brooklyn borough collapsed, destroying a wall of a neighbouring residential property and exposing parts of its interior, including a staircase, closets and a bedroom.
According to city officials, six people died at the scene, while two others later succumbed to their injuries.
The victims comprised six adults, including two construction workers, and two children. Two Ecuadorian nationals were also among those killed.
At least 18 people sustained injuries during the incident and its aftermath, including four firefighters involved in the rescue operation.
Authorities also ordered the evacuation of three other buildings along the same street as a precaution pending safety inspections.
Following the tragedy, Mamdani directed authorities to investigate five companies connected to a construction site adjacent to the collapsed building, as well as 100 additional sites associated with the firms.
The mayor said municipal building inspectors had been deployed across the city to examine the affected locations and identify potential safety concerns.
He said, “If there is anyone or any entity operating in this city that bears responsibility for what happened, we will hold them fully accountable.”
The apartment building, which was constructed in 1930 and comprised four residential units, reportedly housed several immigrant families, according to Mamdani.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collapse have also focused on excavation activities at the adjoining construction site.
Historical satellite images indicated that excavation work began earlier in the year, while an official notice submitted by a construction company in September disclosed that the earthwork involved “rock blasting.”
Fire Department Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said rescue personnel had continued searching the debris amid heavy rainfall, with about 250 emergency workers deployed around the clock.
“We will be here until we are 100% sure there are no more people trapped,” Bonsignore told reporters shortly after midday on Thursday.
She added, “We always assume that there are more people there until we can access the ground. So until we remove some of the bigger debris and are able to search beneath them, this will remain a rescue operation.”
The New York City Fire Department later announced that it had completed its rescue mission after concluding that no additional victims remained trapped in the rubble.
