FDNY crews responded to an NYC building collapse on Bedford Avenue in Flatbush just after 4 p.m. Wednesday after people were reported trapped inside. Four people were injured, and a major technical rescue operation was underway at the scene.
Bedford Avenue in Flatbush
The collapse happened on Bedford Avenue between Newkirk and Flatbush avenues. Photos and video from the scene appeared to show an entire side of the building collapsed, exposing the interiors of stairwells and apartments.
Drivers were encouraged to avoid the area and expect traffic delays and road closures. For people trying to reach that stretch of Bedford Avenue, the immediate effect was not limited to the building itself; access around the block was being restricted while crews worked.
FDNY Rescue Operation
The FDNY said people were reported to be trapped and that four people were injured. The department did not give additional details in the verified facts about the condition of those injured people or whether anyone remained inside by the end of the reported rescue effort.
The New York City Department of Buildings said the commissioner and investigators were on their way to the site to assess the damage. That step puts the collapse under a separate damage review in addition to the rescue work already underway.
New York City Department of Buildings
City records showed recent construction work at the address, but it was unclear whether that work had anything to do with the collapse. That leaves the damage assessment and the site inspection as the next steps in figuring out whether the recent work and the failure of the structure are connected.
The scene remained active as crews focused on rescue and investigators moved toward the building. The immediate unanswered issue is whether the reported trapped people were reached and what investigators find when they examine the damage.
