Brooklyn building collapse: 8 dead In New York, pregnant woman rescued from rubble

AT least eight people died and 17 have been injured, including three firefighters, after a three-storey building in Brooklyn, a borough of New York, collapsed on Wednesday.

The building, which had been built in 1930, collapsed fully into an adjacent excavation site at 2625 Bedford Avenue at around 4 pm local time. The collapse also sheared off the side wall of the neighbouring building, leaving apartment interiors exposed.

Although the cause of the collapse is under investigation, the city's commissioner, Ahmed Tigani said that when the building fell, construction workers were excavating an empty lot next door for a new building.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a post on X wrote that the rescue operations are ongoing and cautioned New Yorkers to stay away from the area.

He wrote, "I am heartbroken that eight New Yorkers have now lost their lives and at least 17 have been injured, including three firefighters."

"There are no words for a loss of this magnitude. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we have lost, those who are injured and everyone grieving today", he added.