At least one person was killed and 10 others were injured when a three-story building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday afternoon, CNN reported, citing a fire department official.
Four of the injured were in serious condition, while at least one person remained trapped beneath the rubble as emergency crews continued searching the site.
The collapse occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. local time in Flatbush, a largely residential neighborhood in central Brooklyn with a predominantly Black and Afro-Caribbean population.
New York City Council member Farah N. Louis told Spectrum News NY1 that a child was among those injured.
According to a fire department official, the building contained a ground-floor store and at least one residential apartment on an upper floor. A construction site was located immediately adjacent to the collapsed structure.
The New York City Department of Buildings dispatched investigators to the scene to determine what caused the collapse.
New York State Assembly member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn told NY1 that the neighboring property had remained vacant for an extended period and had previously housed a senior adult day care facility.
“That particular lot has been vacant for a long time. It used to be a senior, adult day care," she said. “They were waiting for a permit to build affordable housing. We don’t know the details in terms of why the building collapsed but all I know is it’s been probably neglected."
Emergency personnel launched an extensive search-and-rescue operation, with dozens of firefighters working through the wreckage as daylight faded.
Footage from the scene showed firefighters extracting a victim from a large pile of debris before four responders carried the person away on a stretcher.
Rescue teams also deployed drones to assist their search and used flashlights as darkness approached.
Video captured firefighters moving household items, including pillows and a damaged oven, while digging through the collapsed structure in an effort to locate additional victims.
A large crowd assembled behind police tape along the sidewalk, with bystanders recording the rescue operation as emergency vehicles lined the street.
New York City Emergency Management established a Red Cross assistance center to provide support to Flatbush residents affected by the collapse.