Death Toll From Building Collapse in NYC Climbs as Site Excavation Begins - CBS News

“Rescue workers have spent the night searching the site of yesterday’s building collapse, working under extremely dangerous conditions to find and save anyone who may still be trapped,” said Zohran Mamdani.

The death toll rose to eight on Thursday after a Brooklyn building collapsed and an adjacent structure suffered significant damage. The incident began just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday when a three-story, multi-use building on Flatbush Avenue gave way and crashed into an active construction site, tearing away the side of a neighboring property.

Brooklyn building collapse death toll climbs to 5 as crews search rubble — FOX 5 New York

At least 17 other people sustained injuries in the disaster, according to the New York City Fire Department. Six victims were discovered dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries after being transported to the hospital.

“We know that this morning they pulled out, I believe a couple of construction workers that were on site last night, which added to the death toll this morning,” Farrah Louis told CBS News.

Brooklyn building collapse LIVE: Emergency crews search for survivors amid rising death toll — USA TODAY

Emergency crews worked through the night under floodlights, utilizing drones and K-9 units to navigate massive piles of debris. First responders also deployed heavy machinery to excavate the wreckage as they searched for additional victims throughout the structure, which was fully occupied by residents at the time of the collapse.

The FDNY completed its rescue operations just after 3:30 p.m. Thursday after searching the entire site and determining there were no remaining victims. Jurisdiction over the disaster zone has now been transferred to the Department of Buildings and the NYPD.

Investigators are examining the conditions at both the collapsed building and the adjacent construction site, where developers held active permits for excavation and foundation work. Municipal records indicate the site had accumulated violations months before the collapse, though those infractions were cleared and work resumed in May. Authorities have not yet determined if the recent excavation work triggered the structural failure.

A full stop-work order remains in place while recovery operations proceed. Simultaneously, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has launched an inquiry to evaluate whether any criminal conduct contributed to the disaster.