NEW YORK (AP) — Firefighters are engaged in a challenging rescue operation following the collapse of a three-story building in Brooklyn on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred at the edge of a construction site, resulting in at least two fatalities and numerous injuries, with many individuals trapped under the debris.

Emergency responders, including scores of firefighters and police officers, worked tirelessly for hours to navigate the precarious rubble. They employed pickaxes and power saws to create holes in the ruins to reach and rescue individuals buried beneath twisted wood and brick. The intense rescue efforts involved approximately 250 firefighters on the scene throughout the evening.

During a news conference, officials confirmed that 17 people had been hospitalized with various injuries, at least four of whom were in critical condition. New York City Fire Department officials indicated that search and rescue operations would continue late into the night as the situation remained fluid and uncertain regarding potential survivors still trapped under the wreckage.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the media, highlighting the urgency and complexity of the operation. “This has been an incredibly challenging and fast-moving situation, with precarious wreckage to navigate and dangerous voids beneath the surface,” he said, emphasizing the preparedness of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) for such rescue missions.

The cause of the building's collapse is currently under investigation. Ahmed Tigani, New York City’s buildings commissioner, noted that the time of the incident coincided with construction work on an adjacent empty lot, where workers were excavating for a new structure. The collapsed building was a mixed-use facility, featuring apartments above commercial space, and much of the debris ended up in the nearby construction pit.

In addition to the general ruin, another building that shared a wall with the collapsed structure remained standing, albeit severely damaged. Its wall was shorn off, exposing rooms inside, including a bedroom filled with clothing and personal belongings.

Through the course of the rescue operations, some survivors were successfully pulled from the debris. Notably, at around 6:30 p.m., firefighters extracted a woman who was alive and responsive from a gap they had dug in the rubble. She was immediately transported to a waiting ambulance. As the night progressed, additional individuals were rescued, though authorities confirmed that among the casualties were seven children, without clarifying if any were deceased.

Rescue operations were complex and dangerous, prompting the use of drones to monitor the situation from above, while specially trained dogs were deployed to help search for any survivors. Firefighters used flashlights to illuminate their work area as they continued their efforts into the night.

FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore commented on the perilous nature of the rescue work, stating, “Every move is choreographed,” which reflects the meticulous planning and coordination required for such operations in unstable conditions. Fortunately, only one firefighter sustained minor injuries during the rescue efforts.

Communication efforts with the architect, property owner, and general contractor associated with the construction project have been attempted, but no comments have been received at this time.

Among those impacted by the incident was Anderson Velez, a resident of the collapsed building. He shared an emotional account of receiving a frantic call from his wife, who was trapped inside with their two young children, aged 7 and 2. He recounted the harrowing moment when she screamed for help to get their son out before the call abruptly ended. Fortunately, he later learned that his family had survived and been rescued from the wreckage.