Eight people died and eighteen others were injured after a three-story Brooklyn apartment building collapsed during excavation work on an adjacent empty lot, prompting a city investigation into construction safety.
The disaster unfolded on the afternoon of November 11, 2026, when workers were digging more than 4.5 meters deep on a site where city inspectors had previously documented violations. The New York City Fire Department concluded rescue operations on November 13 after the final victim was recovered from the rubble.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced orders for safety inspections at approximately 100 construction sites tied to the companies involved in the project. “If there is any person or any entity that operates in this city and that is responsible for what happened, we will hold them fully accountable,” Mamdani said during a press briefing.
The empty lot next to the collapsed structure previously held a single-story building demolished earlier in the year. Records show contractor Mordechai “Marty” Waisbrod notified the city that excavation and rock-blasting would begin in September. Engineering plans submitted with the permits detailed various perimeter wall-shoring designs.
Dervie Mapp, a resident living near the project, said that she and other neighbors complained about the construction for months. Her landlord brought engineers into the building, but residents never received an inspection report, according to Mapp. Brigitte Anama, a stylist at a nearby hair salon, recalled hearing an explosion and seeing smoke and dust fill the air as people rushed onto the sidewalk.
The New York City Police Department identified the deceased as Nicole Daniela Salvada Rodríguez, 9; Juan Daniel Salvada Guzmán, 31; Kevin Santiago Reyes González, 10; Ndiaye Mamadou, 31; Barry Mamadou, 23; Gabriel Sigüencia, 22; Édgar Sapón, 26; and José Luis Caguana Cosquillo, 26. The victims included two construction workers and two children, with several individuals originating from Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Trinidad.
| Incident Detail | Recorded Information |
|---|---|
| Date of Collapse | November 11, 2026 |
| Excavation Depth Planned | More than 4.5 meters (15 feet) |
| Targeted Inspections | Approximately 100 sites ordered by Mayor Zohran Mamdani |
Glenn Corbett, a construction safety expert at the John Jay College of New York, said that determining the exact trigger for the collapse will require a thorough investigation. “It could be a design failure, a construction failure, or some sort of work that was taking place,” Corbett said, noting that the excavation shoring appeared to have failed.
Carlos Caguana said his brother José, who died in the collapse, was working on the site and left behind a pregnant wife and young son. “He was the sole breadwinner for the family,” Caguana told WNBC-TV.
Earlier coverage: Eight People Die and Seventeen Injured in Brooklyn Building Collapse
