A devastating building collapse in Brooklyn, New York, has killed at least six people and injured 19 others, including seven children. Emergency crews are continuing to search through unstable rubble, and officials warn that the rescue operation could take several days.

The three-story building collapsed shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday near Flatbush and Bedford Avenues, falling into an adjoining construction site where workers had been active earlier that day. Part of the neighboring structure was also torn away, exposing apartments to the street. Two deaths were confirmed Wednesday evening, followed by four more as rescuers recovered bodies overnight and into Thursday morning. The cause of the collapse remains unknown.

More than 250 emergency personnel have been involved in the search, using heavy equipment and carefully removing debris by hand. FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore warned that the operation is extremely dangerous because the remaining structure is unstable and could collapse again. Officials have not ruled out the possibility that more people could be trapped. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the disaster as devastating.

Amid the tragedy, one husband experienced an emotional moment of relief when he arrived searching for his wife and learned she had survived. “I’m very happy, she’s six months pregnant,” he told reporters. However, other families received heartbreaking news. One victim was identified by his brother as 26-year-old Jose Luis Caguana, an Ecuadorian immigrant who worked in construction and left behind a young child and a pregnant wife. A Red Cross assistance center has been opened for affected residents.