Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims

At least two people have been killed and 17 others injured after a three-storey building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York, triggering a massive rescue operation involving hundreds of emergency responders.

The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn, with seven children among those affected.

According to reports by Fox News and Reuters, the building, located at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, collapsed into an adjoining construction site where excavation work was reportedly ongoing.

New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore confirmed that 19 people had been accounted for, including the two deceased victims. Four of the injured were in critical condition, while 12 were reported to be stable.

A firefighter also sustained minor injuries while participating in the rescue operation.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene shortly after receiving a distress call at about 4:01 p.m. local time.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani disclosed that firefighters arrived within a minute of receiving the emergency call and immediately commenced search-and-rescue operations.

More than 250 firefighters and emergency medical personnel were deployed to the scene as rescue teams worked through the rubble in search of possible survivors.

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Search dogs, drones and specialised equipment were also deployed, while officials warned that the unstable condition of the wreckage could make the operation last several days.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that additional people could still be trapped beneath the debris.

Reacting to the tragedy, Mayor Mamdani expressed sadness over the loss of lives and appealed to residents to remember the victims and their families in their prayers.

Speaking during an evening briefing, the mayor said he was heartbroken by the incident and called for prayers for those who lost their lives, their grieving families and the injured.

He also commended firefighters and other emergency personnel for their efforts in rescuing victims under dangerous conditions.

Mamdani had earlier urged residents to stay away from the affected area to allow emergency workers to carry out their operations without obstruction.

Officials from New York City’s Department of Buildings confirmed that excavation work was ongoing at the adjoining construction site when the collapse occurred.

The department disclosed that inspectors had been deployed to assess the structural stability of nearby buildings and assist with recovery operations.

Authorities have yet to establish the exact cause of the collapse, while investigations are ongoing.

The New York Police Department also announced traffic restrictions around the affected area, urging motorists and residents to avoid the vicinity.

Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims

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US Lawmakers to Hold Fresh Hearing on Nigeria’s Insecurity, Christian Killings

The United States Congress is set to hold another congressional hearing on Nigeria’s security crisis, with lawmakers expected to examine attacks on Christian communities, the Federal Government’s response and the worsening insecurity in the country’s Middle Belt.

The hearing, scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2026, will be convened by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and chaired by Republican Congressman Chris Smith.

Titled “One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria’s Efforts to Protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt,” the session will assess the Nigerian government’s efforts to protect vulnerable communities, prevent religious violence and bring perpetrators of attacks to justice.

According to a statement from Smith’s office, lawmakers will examine violence attributed to extremist organisations, including Boko Haram and armed groups accused of targeting Christian communities.

The hearing will also consider the Nigerian government’s efforts to curb attacks against Christians and non-radical Muslim communities, as well as possible measures the United States could take to encourage greater protection of vulnerable populations.

Smith, who represents New Jersey, said the session would be his 14th congressional hearing on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

The proceedings will feature two panels of witnesses, including senior officials of the US Department of State and representatives of international religious freedom and policy organisations.

The first panel will feature Frank Garcia, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Riley Barnes, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

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The second panel will include Nina Shea, Senior Fellow and Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute; Ryan Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Open Doors US; and Oge Onubogu, Director and Senior Fellow of the Africa Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

The hearing will begin at 11am Washington time, equivalent to 5pm Nigerian time, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC. It will also be streamed live on YouTube.

The planned congressional session comes amid renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s security and human rights record by the administration of US President Donald Trump and American lawmakers.

In November 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over allegations of severe violations of religious freedom, particularly attacks on Christian communities.

The designation, made under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, applies to countries the US government considers to have engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

Nigeria was previously designated a Country of Particular Concern in December 2020 during Trump’s first administration but was removed from the list in November 2021 under former President Joe Biden.

The renewed designation intensified diplomatic discussions between Washington and Abuja over the protection of religious communities and Nigeria’s response to persistent insecurity.

The United States also conducted military strikes against Islamic State-linked targets in northwestern Nigeria on December 25, 2025, as part of counterterrorism operations.

Trump said the operation was directed at militants responsible for attacks on Christians, although the Nigerian government has maintained that the country’s security challenges cannot be explained solely through religious persecution.

The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected claims that Nigeria’s insecurity amounts to a systematic campaign against Christians, arguing that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes and communal violence affect Nigerians across religious and ethnic backgrounds.

The security situation remains particularly challenging in parts of the Middle Belt, including Benue and Plateau states, where repeated attacks have resulted in deaths, displacement and destruction of communities.

Armed groups, communal tensions, disputes over land and farming resources, and the activities of criminal networks have contributed to the violence.

The humanitarian consequences have also extended beyond Nigeria’s borders, with thousands of people fleeing attacks and seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

The latest hearing is expected to provide American lawmakers with an opportunity to question government officials and other witnesses about the scale of the violence, measures taken to protect civilians and the effectiveness of existing security cooperation between both countries.

It will also examine possible diplomatic and policy measures Washington could pursue to encourage accountability and prevent further attacks.

Although the hearing is not a judicial determination of allegations against the Nigerian government, its discussions and recommendations could influence future congressional scrutiny and US policy towards Nigeria.

The proceedings come at a sensitive time in relations between both countries, as Nigeria continues to seek international cooperation in tackling terrorism and other security threats.

US Lawmakers to Hold Fresh Hearing on Nigeria’s Insecurity, Christian Killings