Two dead, 17 injured in Brooklyn building collapse

A three-storey building in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood collapsed into an adjoining construction site on Wednesday, killing at least two people and injuring 17, New York City officials said. Four of the injured were in critical condition, and seven children were among those hurt, according to fire officials. One firefighter also sustained minor injuries.

The collapse happened at about 4 p.m. as excavation was underway at the neighboring site. Officials said 19 people had been accounted for, but the number of people inside the building or working at the construction site when it fell was not established. The casualty figures could change as crews continued searching the debris.

More than 250 firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded. Rescue teams used search dogs, drones and other equipment to look for people who might be trapped. The unstable wreckage and risk of further collapse made the operation dangerous, officials said, and the search was expected to continue for several days.

The building fell into or alongside the excavation area, and the collapse also damaged a neighboring residential structure, exposing parts of its interior. Officials said a...