What we know about Brooklyn building collapse that killed eight people

Key Points:

• A three-storey building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, collapsed on Wednesday, killing eight people, including six adults and two children, and injuring 18 others, with rescue operations lasting about 24 hours.
• The building, constructed in the 1930s and housing apartments and a store, fell into an adjacent construction pit where workers were excavating for a new 64-unit residential building, though it is unclear if the construction caused the collapse.
• Officials, including Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, are investigating the incident for possible criminal conduct, emphasizing accountability for all parties involved.
• The victims included residents of the collapsed building and workers from nearby areas, with some identified as immigrants from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Trinidad; two Ecuadorian nationals are among the dead.
• Over 250 firefighters responded heroically to the scene, and no prior building code violations were reported; the Department of Buildings is now reviewing other properties tied to the developer.