Following the collapse of a three-storey apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, at least two people have been killed, and more than 10 others are injured as rescue teams search for possible survivors.
The building, which contained four apartments and dated back to 1930, collapsed around 4 p.m. on Wednesday in the Flatbush area, falling into an adjoining construction site where excavation work was ongoing.
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the deaths of two people, adding that more than 10 people were taken to local hospitals with critical and non-life-threatening injuries.
Fire department chief John Esposito said investigators were looking into the cause of the collapse, while authorities had yet to establish how many people were inside the building or working at the construction site when it happened.
Meanwhile, a firefighting crew already in the neighbourhood arrived within a minute of the collapse and helped rescue the first victims from the debris.
Fire department commissioner Lillian Bonsignore also said 19 victims had been accounted for, including seven children. She declined to disclose whether the two people who died were adults or children.
“A firefighter also sustained minor injuries during the rescue operation,” she added.
According to video of the scene, rescue workers, supported by search dogs, were seen combing through the rubble and removing debris in search of people who may have been trapped.
However, Local television station WABC-TV reported that at least four survivors, including a pregnant woman, were rescued between two and two-and-a-half hours after the collapse.
Mr Esposito said the search could take several days, warning that officials did not yet know how many people were missing.
“We do not know how many people are missing overall,” he said, adding that teams would continue searching the entire site for potential victims.