Matt Spivey
Live editor

Image source, Getty Images

We've just heard an update from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on the deadly building collapse in Brooklyn.

Here's what we heard:

• Two children are among eight killed following the building collapse on Wednesday afternoon
• Also among the dead are two construction workers

• The majority of those in hospital are in a stable condition - one person remains critical

• The Department of Buildings is leading the investigation, and is sweeping buildings linked to five different entities associated with the construction area - 100 other sites across New York are also being checked
• The head of the department says no violations had been reported ahead of the building collapsing
• Despite the bad weather, search and rescue efforts will continue until crews are certain there is no one else under the rubble, says New York's fire chief

At the end of his briefing Mamdani said New York will grieve and rebuild "as one city".

Stay with us as we continue to bring you more updates and reaction.

The head of the NY Department of Buildings, Ahmed Tigani, is now answering a question over reports about cracks in the front exterior of the building prior to the collapse.

He says that there were no "violations" reported at the building in advance of the collapse.

Tigani reiterates that there will be a full investigation into possible violations or complaints and every entity involved will be subject to investigation.

Mamdani then returns to the microphone to reiterate that every entity involved in the building and the nearby construction will be investigated.

And with that, the news conference has ended.

Image source, Reuters

Mamdani goes on to praise the role of the New York Fire Department (FDNY) in attending to the collapse.

"We are lucky in New York City to have the greatest fire department the world has ever seen."

He also speaks of a visit to the hospital where a family member of a person affected by the collapse told him of their appreciation of the department, and how they were on the scene "within one minute" of the 911 call being placed.

Following the statements, Mayor Mamdani is now taking questions from the media.

He reiterates what he said earlier about there being five different entities associated with the construction site where the building collapsed.

He says these entitles are associated with 100 other sites across New York which are being checked by the Department of Buildings.

Bonsignore continues, saying emergency crews are still in rescue mode and will be working to ensure no one else is under the rubble.

She notes that their efforts will continue despite the bad weather.

Image source, Reuters

We're now hearing from fire commissioner Lillian Bonsignore.

Bonsignore says that firefighters have been on the scene since shortly after the building collapse, and have worked hand in hand with other emergency responders to rescue people from the site.

She describes their actions as "incredibly heroic".

Mayor Mamdani concludes by saying "this has been a very dark evening and morning for our city".

"We are mourning too many people who we loved," he says.

He adds New York will grieve and rebuild "as one city".

Mamdani says an investigation has already started into the collapse, and it is being lead by the NYC Department of Buildings.

He adds the department is also conducting sweeps of buildings around the city in which the five entities involved in this site are also involved.

He adds that vacate orders are in place - meaning occupants must immediately leave and stop living or working in the buildings.

The New York mayor adds that the "vast majority" of those still in hospital are in a stable condition. One person is in a critical condition, he says.

Mamdani says it is important to remember that the victims "were our friends and our neighbours".

He also says he wants to thank those in the area "who did not hesitate to help".

Construction workers who barely survived themselves turned round and rescued people from the rubble, he adds.

Mayor Mamdani says that he has visited New Yorkers who are in hospital with injuries from the collapse.

"This has been a devastating evening and morning for our city," Mamdani says.

Six adults and two children are among the dead, he says.

Six people died at the scene, while another two died in hospital, Mamdani says.

Two of the dead are construction workers, he adds.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is giving an update from the scene in Brooklyn.

Just joining us? Here's a quick summary of the deadly incident.

You can watch the news conference live at the top of this page - stay with us for the latest updates.

Pratiksha Ghildial
Reporting from Brooklyn

It has started to rain here at the collapse site where New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is due to speak shortly.

That hasn’t stopped the emergency responders so far - but there is some concern that the weather could complicate operations.

We're expecting to hear from Mamdani at around midday local time (17:00 GMT) - stay with us.

Matt Spivey
Live editor

Image source, Getty Images

We're expecting to hear an update from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani within the next hour on the Brooklyn building collapse.

Here's the latest on what we know:

• Eight people have died and 19 more are injured, officials say, after the three-storey building collapsed on Wednesday afternoon
• The New York fire department says four of the injured are in a critical condition
• Search and rescue operations remain under way at the scene on Flatbush Avenue
• The building was adjacent to a construction area - excavation work had been taking place at the site
• Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse
• A witness describes hearing a "big boom" followed by screams, another says "when I turned my back, I saw the whole building collapse"
• A woman was pulled alive from the rubble on Wednesday - "I'm very happy. I thank all of you guys. She's pregnant", her husband said
• Heavy rain and thunderstorms may complicate recovery efforts throughout the day

The BBC's US partner CBS News is forecasting scattered showers beginning in about an hour and then heavy rain across the New York region from 17:00 local time (22:00 GMT).

The network's New York Meteorologist Tony Sadiku warns there is a possibility of severe storms later this evening, which could hamper search and recovery efforts in Brooklyn.

Google Street View images from August 2026 show the building before the collapse. The three-storey structure sits next to a construction site in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn.

Images taken today show the scale of the destruction caused by the building completely collapsing into the construction area next door.

Image source, BBC/Google Streetview/Getty

Image source, Getty Images

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani will provide an update from the scene of the Brooklyn building collapse.

He's already provided an update today, saying he is "heartbroken" that eight New Yorkers have lost their lives. He also visited the scene of the collapse on Wednesday.

He'll be speaking to the media at 12:00 ET (17:00 GMT).

Stick with us and we'll bring you his latest update as it happens. You will also be able to watch live at the top of the page.

Lucy Gilder
Live reporter

Construction workers were performing excavation work on a site adjacent to the collapsed building, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Google Maps images show the site had been boarded up for construction by August 2026.

A sign on the front said the site was undergoing "full demolition" and listed Robert Fischman as the owner.

Image source, Google Maps

City zoning records obtained by CBS show developers planned to construct a nine-story building at the site, including 64 residential units and a grocery store on the first floor.

The site was advertised for lease for several years before the excavation, according to Google Maps, and was formerly occupied by an organisation which provided support services for elderly and disabled adults.

It's not clear whether the construction had anything to do with the collapse and the incident is under investigation.

Madeline Halpert
Reporting from Brooklyn

Joyette Kerr has been at the scene of the building collapse since 12 am last night.

At 01:30 EST (06:30 GMT), more than nine hours after the collapse, she saw workers pull out a survivor from the wreckage.

She’s been at the church across the street all morning talking to families of those affected, including, she says, the wife of a 23-year-old construction worker who was working in the pit next door when the building fell. Rescuers recovered his body.

“His wife was very hysterical,” she says. “She couldn’t take the pain.” Kerr says she was up all night praying with the family.

“To me I feel like I’m doing what I should be doing try to help in a time of need.”

Kerr says she spoke to another man who went to every hospital searching for his two nephews. He still doesn’t know where they are.

She says the accident will have a “profound” impact on the community.

A large-scale effort to rescue people from the rubble of the collapsed building in Brooklyn is still underway, with eight people confirmed dead so far.

Hundreds of emergency workers are still at the scene of the devastation assisted by rescue equipment and sniffer dogs.

Pratiksha Ghildial
Reporting from Brooklyn

This is a busy neighbourhood in Brooklyn, usually teeming with vehicles and pedestrians.

So it has to have come as a bit of a shock to the local residents here.

One person who lives across the road is teary eyed and tells me she feels in danger.

Police have cordoned off traffic from both sides of the avenue about a block down and the area is lined with cranes, fire trucks and NYPD vehicles.