Photo: FDNY (cropped)
NEW YORK – People were reported trapped after a partial building collapse in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, and a major technical rescue operation was ongoing, according to the FDNY.
The collapse happened just after 4 p.m. on Bedford Avenue between Newkirk and Flatbush avenues, according to reports. Reports identified the address as 2625 Bedford Ave. and described the building as an apartment building.
The FDNY said there were reports of people trapped. Authorities had not confirmed an injury count or the cause of the collapse in the initial reports. Rescue operations were continuing.
Drivers should avoid the area and expect traffic delays and road closures, officials said. The response remained ongoing, according to reports.
Update: Four injured, rescue operation continues
The FDNY said four people had been injured, according to a 4:48 p.m. update. The major technical rescue operation remained ongoing. This updates the initial information above, when an injury count had not yet been released.
Reports said that the collapse involved a three-story apartment building next to a construction site. The FDNY said people were trapped, but the number was not clear, according to reports. The cause had not been confirmed.
In a further update, Reports said that at least two people had been removed from the rubble, according to officials. The number of people trapped remained unclear, and rescue operations were continuing. That report did not establish that everyone had been accounted for.
A 4:52 p.m. update said the Department of Buildings commissioner and investigators were heading to the site to assess the damage. City records showed recent construction work at the address, according to reports, but whether that work was connected to the collapse was unknown.
JBizNews Desk | New York
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