New York’s Brooklyn building collapse kills 2, pregnant woman pulled out alive

A three-story building in Brooklyn, New York, completely collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least two people. As many as 17 people were injured in the incident, CNN reported. Four of them are in a serious condition. Firefighters, other rescue personnel, and sniffer dogs are looking for more victims buried underneath the wreck.

According to CNN, the building crashed into an construction site near it, trapping multiple people in both. The massive search and rescue operations have been “extremely dangerous,” the New York City Fire Department commissioner said.

The cause of the collapse is still unknown.

From the rubble at least seven children and a pregnant woman were pulled out alive. The husband of the woman was seen crying in relief after she was found alive.

A New York City husband cried tears of relief after he said his pregnant wife was pulled alive from the rubble of a building collapse in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood.

At least two people were killed and over a dozen others were injured, authorities said Wednesday night, after a three-story building collapsed into an adjacent excavation site.

A “dangerous” search and rescue operation continued into the night and there could be more victims, fire officials warned.

Read more: https://t.co/M8kKD5RbRK

— ABC News (@ABC) November 12, 2026

The New York City Fire Department said the incident occurred at 4:01 pm (local time) in the Flatbush Avenue area.
“Units arrived within one minute and immediately started search-and-rescue operations. Two people have been pronounced dead… Multiple people from the building and the construction site were trapped,” FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said.

He added: “This will be a prolonged operation. Collapse operations are extremely dangerous. Every move is choreographed and critically important to patient outcomes and member safety. Members have been working methodically and haven’t stopped since they arrived this afternoon.”

The fire department in a statement said: “More than 250 fire and EMS personnel responded, and search efforts in coordination with the NYPD were ongoing Wednesday night.”

Mayor Mamdani says rescue operation is ‘active’

Firefighters and police officers spent hours cutting and digging through broken timber and bricks to reach people buried beneath the wreckage. FDNY officials said the search would continue.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said about 250 firefighters were involved in the operation. He described unstable debris and hidden gaps beneath the rubble as major challenges for rescuers.

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“This type of rescue is exactly what the FDNY trains for,” he said.

He posted on X: “… @nycemergencymgt and the @redcross have opened a reception center for impacted and displaced residents at the Flatbush YMCA, located at 1401 Flatbush Avenue.If you are unable to reach someone you believe may have been affected by the collapse, please call 311. If you are outside New York City, call 212-639-9675… This remains an active operation, with hundreds of rescue workers on site. Information is changing by the minute. We will share additional updates as details are confirmed.”

How did the Brooklyn Building collapse occur?

The cause of the collapse is under investigation, officials, cited by news agency AP stated. New York City Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said workers had been excavating a vacant lot next door for a new building when the collapse occurred.

The structure housed apartments above commercial premises. Much of its wreckage fell into the adjoining excavation pit. A neighbouring building remained standing, but the loss of a shared wall left rooms exposed, including a bedroom and closets containing clothes.

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Around 6.30 pm, rescuers brought a woman out through an opening in the debris. She was alive and moving as firefighters lifted her onto a stretcher and took her to an ambulance. More people were rescued as the evening progressed.

UPDATE: FDNY firefighters pulled a woman ALIVE from the rubble of the Flatbush, Brooklyn building collapse. Her husband told reporters she’s pregnant

> FDNY says 1 person is dead and at least 12 are hurt, 6 of them critical, as crews keep searching for anyone still trapped
> City records show the construction site next door was cited in April for tearing down a building despite a stop-work order

Thank God for the FDNY.

🎥 @JLRINVESTIGATES

— James Reichert (@_jamesreichert) November 12, 2026

Teams searched by hand, moving pieces of debris while a drone hovered overhead. Dogs helped look for survivors, and firefighters used flashlights to work after dark.

FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore described the operation as “dangerous and perilous”, saying rescuers had to coordinate every movement carefully. One firefighter suffered minor injuries, fire officials said.

Phone and email messages seeking comment were left for the architect, property owner and general contractor identified in city records as being connected to the construction project.