Dozens forced from homes as NYC checks buildings near deadly Brooklyn collapse for risk of falling

Dozens of New Yorkers have been forced from buildings near the deadly Flatbush collapse Thursday as the city worked to make sure their homes won’t fall down too.

Residents of three neighboring buildings were given a vacate order after 1321 Flatbush Avenue collapsed in Brooklyn Wednesday, killing at least eight people and injuring nearly two dozen others.

The vacated properties–1323, 1325 and 1327 Flatbush Avenue–stand along the same row as the collapsed building. DOB engineers must determine whether the buildings are structurally sound before residents can return.

Each is three stories tall, with storefronts at street level and apartments above.

The city and the Red Cross were helping displaced residents find temporary housing through a reception center at the Flatbush YMCA, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

“The city and the Red Cross are continuing to provide expanded services from the YMCA, including temporary housing for displaced residents, assistance with social services, and mental health support,” Mamdani said at a press conference from the tragic site Thursday.

 

Residents of other buildings farther south on Flatbush Avenue who were initially displaced had been allowed to return home, Mamdani said.

City officials were investigating the collapse, including whether excavation at the adjacent construction site at 2625 Bedford Avenue contributed to the disaster.

An anonymous complaint filed with DOB after the Flatbush collapse suggested crews digging next door may have exposed too much of the building’s foundation at once, rather than working in short sections as the approved plans required.