Eight dead after Brooklyn building collapses into construction pit

A 96-year-old, three-story mixed-use building at 1321 Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn collapsed into an open construction pit at 2625 Bedford Ave. just after 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. The structure, which housed a ground-floor commercial storefront and residential apartments, gave way during active excavation work at the neighboring site.

The death toll rose to eight overnight as first responders continued search and rescue efforts. Among the victims were two young cousins, a father-to-be, and a young construction worker. At least 23 people were injured, including seven children. A firefighter also sustained minor injuries during debris removal operations.

City records indicate the building had 98 open violations prior to the collapse. New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Ahmed Tigani highlighted four critical factors surrounding the adjacent construction site, including active excavation work, prior safety violations, and documented structural cracks. Investigators from the DOB and law enforcement agencies are examining the site, which involved a 14-foot excavation.

More than 250 first responders from the FDNY, NYPD, and NYC Emergency Management worked through the night in hazardous conditions. They deployed K-9 search units, aerial drones, chainsaws, and Con Edison vacuum trucks to clear concrete and twisted steel by hand. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore addressed the ongoing operations as crews worked to recover victims from the rubble.

Caribbean legislators in New York described themselves as “heartbroken” over the tragedy. The collapse occurred at a busy Flatbush intersection, prompting a criminal investigation into the construction activities at 2625 Bedford Ave. Multiple entities behind the construction work near the collapsed building site are under scrutiny.