New York building collapse kills at least two, officials say

What the report says

A three-storey building in Brooklyn, New York City, collapsed into an open construction site on Wednesday afternoon, prompting a major rescue effort as emergency crews searched for people believed to be trapped in the rubble. BBC World News reported that officials said at least two people were killed and more than 17 others were injured in the collapse, which happened at about 16:00 local time.

More than 250 first responders were sent to the scene, where firefighters and other rescue workers continued digging through debris in what the city’s fire commissioner described as an extremely dangerous operation. Aerial footage later showed a survivor being pulled from the wreckage on a stretcher, covered in dust. Authorities said they had not yet determined what caused the building to give way.

Images from the site on Flatbush Avenue showed a large section of the structure missing, with rooms exposed and household belongings scattered among broken concrete and twisted metal. The building was constructed in 1930, according to city records cited by BBC’s US partner CBS News.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the scene and praised the speed and scale of the emergency response. The collapse has raised immediate questions about building safety and construction conditions, though officials have not publicly identified a cause.