One dead and at least 12 injured in Brooklyn building collapse

A building collapsed beside a construction site in Brooklyn, killing one person and injuring at least 12, according to an update from New York’s fire department reported by ABC7 on Wednesday evening. Six of the injured were in critical condition, the broadcaster said.

Firefighters were called to the three-storey building in Flatbush shortly after 4pm. The New York City Fire Department said people were trapped beneath the rubble, and rescuers pulled survivors from the wreckage as the search continued.

The building fell into an excavation site next door, the Associated Press reported. The cause of the collapse has not been established. New York City building inspectors were checking the stability of nearby buildings, while officials urged people to avoid the area.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported one death, four people in critical condition and six with minor injuries, citing the fire department. ABC7’s later tally put the number injured at at least 12.