Colombia Says 3 Died in Brooklyn Collapse

NORTH AMERICA · NEW YORK

Three Colombians are among the eight people killed when a three-storey building in Brooklyn fell into a construction pit on Wednesday 11 November 2026, Colombia’s foreign ministry said on Thursday. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the victims also came from Mexico, Ecuador and Trinidad.

The collapse at 1321 Flatbush Avenue also hurt at least 17 people. It has put the city’s oversight of deep digging beside old buildings under scrutiny, and the victims came from a neighbourhood of immigrants from Latin America and beyond.

What Officials Have Confirmed

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) said eight people died, six at the scene and two later in hospital. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said two of the dead were children and two were construction workers.

Rescuers finished searching the rubble on Thursday and found no further victims. The FDNY then handed the site to the city Department of Buildings (DOB) and the New York Police Department (NYPD).

The building had a shop at street level and flats above, and it fell into an open excavation on the neighbouring lot at 2625 Bedford Avenue. The NYPD released the names of all eight victims on Thursday evening, and we are not republishing them here.

Which Countries Lost Citizens

Colombia’s foreign ministry said on the social platform X that three Colombians died and that another Colombian citizen was injured, according to El Tiempo, a Colombian newspaper. Colombia’s consulate in New York said two of the three dead were children and one was an adult.

The ministry has not named the Colombian dead. Families who need help can call +1 646 510 1182 or write to [email protected], the ministry said.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the victims included immigrants from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Trinidad, as well as people from other places. We will add the national figures if the governments publish them.

You can follow related stories in our Colombia news and Ecuador news sections. Contact details for families are repeated in the FAQ below.

What the City Records Show About the Site

The DOB said the developer held an active permit for excavation and foundation work, and it has now issued a full stop-work order. Officials said the approved plan was for a three-storey building, while plans for a nine-storey building had not been approved.

In March the DOB issued a stop-work order at 2625 Bedford Avenue after inspectors found demolition under way without enough overhead protection for neighbouring properties. The department said it found demolition had resumed in April, a further violation, and lifted the order in May after corrections.

Mamdani said five entities are involved in the site and linked to about 100 other sites across the city, and that the DOB began sweeping those sites on Thursday. Vacate orders are in place for the three buildings closest to the collapse.

Why It Matters

Digging beside an old building removes soil that helps hold it up, and New York relies on permits and inspections to catch that risk. Glenn Corbett, an associate professor of fire science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told CBS New York that the building is about 100 years old and that disturbing the soil beside such a building can lead to disaster.

Corbett argued the city needs an independent inquiry into the collapse. CBS New York reported that Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said his office is examining whether any criminal conduct contributed.

What It Means for You

If you have a relative in the area, use the consular numbers above or the city’s official channels rather than social media. Tenants anywhere in New York can look up a building’s complaints and violations in the DOB’s public online records.

For readers in the United States, the case will show whether permits and stop-work orders protected neighbours in practice. Latin American families in the city will watch how consular help and relief funds reach the families of the dead and injured.

What Is Not Known

• The cause of the collapse; no official has named one.
• Whether any building rule was broken, and by whom.
• The final number of injured and their condition; reports range from 17 to 19.
• Whether the city will agree to an independent inquiry.

The city has not published a date for its findings. We will update this article when the DOB or the NYPD releases them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened at 1321 Flatbush Avenue?

A three-storey building fell into an excavation on the neighbouring lot just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Eight people died and at least 17 were hurt.

How many Colombians died in the Brooklyn collapse?

Colombia’s foreign ministry confirmed three Colombian deaths, and said another Colombian citizen was injured. Colombia’s consulate said two of the three were children.

Where can Colombian families get help?

The ministry gave the line +1 646 510 1182 and the email [email protected] for consular help. Its consulate in New York is supporting the families.

Who is investigating the cause?

The city Department of Buildings and law enforcement are investigating. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said his office is checking whether any criminal conduct contributed.

Sources: New York City Fire Department and Department of Buildings statements, 11 to 12 November 2026 (nyc.gov/buildings, nyc.gov/fdny); Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s briefing, 12 November 2026; Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement on X and Colombia’s consulate in New York, 12 November 2026; Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, 12 November 2026.