Brooklyn building that collapsed had 98 open violations, records show

Officials still have not said what caused the building collapse at 1321 Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn that left eight people dead, including two children. 

The New York City Department of Buildings is looking into everything and everyone involved, including the construction contractors next door and the landlord of the building that fell. That building is now reduced to rubble, but city inspectors noted a long history of problems before it collapsed.

City housing records list 98 open violations at the property, ranging from bedbugs to leaks. The building is owned by the Isolag Realty Corporation, and a man named Olufemi Falade is listed as the company's registered agent.

"My office is also just looking into disturbing things we heard about the property and the property owner who may have been negligent," said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. 

Williams said the landlord "may have been on our worst landlord watchlist, one of the years recently."  

Back in 2006, CBS News New York reported that the city accused Falade of refusing to fix problems at his buildings and took him to court. A judge found him in civil contempt and sentenced him to 12 days in jail.

"If there is anyone or any entity that bears responsibility for what happened, we will hold them fully accountable," Mamdani said Thursday. 

The Buildings Department ordered a contractor to stop all demolition work at the construction site next to the building in March. The city says that was because of a lack of overhead protection, like sheds or netting, for the properties behind and next to the site.

Inspectors say, despite the order, the contractor resumed the demolition, so the city issued a violation in April.

A Buildings Department spokesperson says those violations were corrected and they removed the stop work order in May.

That demolition contractor emailed CBS News New York saying they only did the demolition months ago, and not the excavation that was happening Wednesday.

"We will be looking not only at photos, videotape, information from any individual who shares that. And people should be encouraged to share that information. But people should be encouraged to share that information," Buildings Department Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said. 

Renderings from city zoning records show developers want to build a nine-story residential building on the lot, but the city says they've only approved a three-story project so far.

Mamdani said his team identified all the contractors and other companies connected to the construction site, who are linked to about 100 other sites across the city. Inspectors are now conducting what they call a sweep: checking for any hazards at those other properties.