By Townhall Chicago News Staff
A building collapse in Brooklyn killed at least eight people and injured 23 others Wednesday afternoon, Fox News reported.
The collapse occurred around 4 p.m. along Flatbush Avenue. Fox News reports described the building in different terms, with one account identifying it as a three-story apartment building and another describing it as a mixed-use building with stores on the ground floor and apartments above.
More than 17 of the injured were hospitalized, including four in critical condition, according to Fox News. Rescue crews used drones, buckets and vacuum trucks to search the rubble, and officials said other people may still be missing. The search was expected to continue for several days.
New York City’s Department of Buildings cited a contractor in April for demolishing an adjacent building despite a stop-work order, according to Fox News reports citing city records. The contractor was fined $10,000 over that violation.
The cause of Wednesday’s collapse has not been determined. No connection between the April citation and the collapse has been established.
Death toll figures varied slightly between reports, with some describing “at least eight” confirmed dead and others saying “as many as eight” had died. Injury totals also varied, ranging from “over 20” to “at least 23.”
The collapse adds to scrutiny of construction oversight in New York City. Local officials have not announced the results of an investigation into the cause.
