Brooklyn Fire Rescue: Pregnant Woman Pulled from Rubble After Three-Hour Collapse
FDNY crews extracted a six-months pregnant woman from a collapsed Flatbush building hours after the structure gave way on Wednesday afternoon.
By Nia Foster ·
A three-story building collapsed on Flatbush Avenue near Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) immediately launched a search and rescue operation, fearing people were trapped beneath the debris. The incident occurred in the Flatbush neighborhood, where neighbors and family members gathered in uncertainty as crews worked against the clock.
Among those waiting was the husband of one of the potential victims. His wife was six months pregnant and had not answered her phone since the collapse. New York City Public Defender Jumaane Williams, who observed the scene, described the man's distress to CBS News New York. Williams said, "This is hard, man. He is looking for his pregnant wife and she is not answering the phone."
City Councilmember Farah Louis confirmed that the FDNY was conducting a technical rescue operation to locate survivors under the wreckage. Louis stated that the wife remained trapped in the rubble and that crews were working to find anyone who might still be alive beneath the remains. She added that the goal was to find the woman and ensure her survival.
The breakthrough occurred around 6:15 p.m. Firefighters broke through a collapsed wall and located the woman. She was covered in dust and debris but remained conscious and alert. Rescuers maintained contact with her while they carefully worked to free her without causing further injury. Within minutes of finding her, the team extracted her from the collapse zone.
The woman was placed on a stretcher and covered with a blanket. She moved and spoke with the firefighters during the extraction process. Her husband watched closely as paramedics transported her on a stretcher toward an ambulance. He walked quickly behind her, expressing relief at her survival.
Her husband expressed his joy in a statement captured on camera. He said, "She is alive. She is still alive. I am very happy. I am very happy. I am very happy. I thank you all." Despite the successful extraction, Councilmember Louis reported that the woman remained in critical condition during the night. Medical teams focused on her health and the condition of the pregnancy following the accident.
The rescue operation spanned roughly three hours from the initial collapse to the extraction. The FDNY continued to clear materials and search for other possible survivors. The structural cause of the collapse remains under investigation, with excavations and potential structural failures cited as hypotheses for the tragedy in Flatbush.
