1 killed, 10 injured as building collapses in NYC's Brooklyn

Detailed summary

Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said 19 people had been affected, including two fatalities, four people in critical condition, 12 in stable condition and one firefighter with minor injuries.

At least two people were killed, and 17 others injured when a three-story mixed-use building collapsed in Brooklyn on Wednesday (November 11), including seven children, New York City fire officials said.

Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said 19 people had been affected, including two fatalities, four people in critical condition, 12 in stable condition and one firefighter with minor injuries.

Bonsignore cautioned that the casualty toll could increase as the search-and-rescue operation continued.

The building in the Flatbush neighbourhood collapsed into an adjacent construction site shortly after 4 p.m. (2100 GMT), triggering a major search-and-rescue operation.

Firefighters used ladders, power saws and search dogs to search the debris. Several survivors were pulled from the wreckage, including a woman who had been trapped for several hours.

Reuters video footage showed parts of the building's interior, including a bedroom, exposed after the collapse.

"It's just heartbreaking to see that ... so many people were hurt or even possibly loss of lives," said Gerald Perkins, a local superintendent, who questioned whether proper safety measures had been taken.

Stephanie Guerilus, a 42-year-old resident, said those affected were part of her neighbourhood.

"These are people that I call my friends ... You're sort of like family to me at this point," she said.

Opening of the article, excerpted from India Today. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.