Horrifying footage captures NYC building collapse as trapped resident escapes down exposed staircase

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Terrifying Ring camera footage has captured the moment a New York City building collapsed, leaving a staircase dangerously exposed as a resident made their way down with the help of a firefighter. The collapse in Flatbush, Brooklyn, around 4 pm on Wednesday, November 11, killed eight people, including two children and two construction workers.

The footage, obtained by James Williams, showed the adjoining building breaking away and collapsing to the ground. As parts of the structure crumbled, a brown staircase was left standing on its own, with wall decorations still hanging in the exposed section.

People could be heard screaming as chunks of the building fell. A New York City Fire Department (FDNY) firefighter was seen surveying the damage before helping a resident from a nearby unit slowly make their way down the staircase.

NYC building collapse leaves 8 dead and 18 injured

Officials confirmed that eight people died in the collapse, including cousins Nicole Daniela Rodriguez, 9, and Kevin Santiago Reyes Gonzalez, 10, according to The New York Times.

The victims also included construction workers Gabriel Siguencia, 22, Mamadou Barry, 23, Edgar Santiago Sapon Gutierrez, 26, Jose Luis Caguana, 26, and Juan Daniel Salvada Guzman, 31. An unidentified 35-year-old man also died.

Another 18 people were injured, including one person in critical condition, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Thursday. Four firefighters were also hurt.

Rescue operations ended after officials confirmed that no more victims were found in the rubble. The site was subsequently handed over to the New York Police Department and the New York City Department of Buildings.

Brooklyn building collapse victims leave behind grieving families

Among the victims was Gabriel Siguencia, an Ecuadorian national who had arrived in the US looking for better opportunities. His relatives told CNN that he had started working at the construction site just two weeks earlier as a carpenter.

"He came to America looking for the same opportunities that people from all over the world come here for," family friend Javier Ortega said.

Ortega also drove Siguencia's mother, Leonor Yupa, from her home in Connecticut to the site after she heard about the collapse.

Another victim, Jose Luis Caguana, had moved to the US from Ecuador six years ago. He was a construction worker and a devoted husband and father, leaving behind his wife, a four-year-old son and an unborn baby who was expected to arrive soon.

His brother Carlos told Univision that his sister-in-law was struggling to cope with the loss.

"Now that he's gone, she is going through an immense amount of pain. She is in a very bad state right now - she's completely overwhelmed and can't even find the words to speak," he said.

Edgar Santiago Sapon Gutierrez also left behind a six-year-old son. His family spent the night worrying about him and even went to the morgue to check whether he was there before receiving the devastating news.

NYC building collapse raises questions over structural condition

The tragedy also left several people injured, including 29-year-old Alvaro Miguel Caizaguano Toasa, who was working at the site when the building came down.

His family told ABC 7 that he had been working there for eight months and was being treated at Kings County Hospital. They said he had been vomiting blood and was "not doing well."

Toasa is the father of two children, aged three and seven, and the head of his household. His wife is also sick and unable to work.

While the cause of the collapse remains unknown, questions have emerged over the building's condition. The New York Times reported that the NYC Buildings Department had previously determined that the structure was in poor condition and "riddled with cracks."

The outlet also identified LMW Engineering Group, based in Linden, New Jersey, as the company behind the engineer of record for the building's foundation work.

Its owner and managing partner, Jieming Wang, was not at the firm's office on Thursday, which was reportedly almost empty. Wang has been with the company for more than 28 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The investigation into what caused the deadly collapse remains ongoing.