The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) on Thursday began inspecting about 100 construction sites in connection with the disaster in Brooklyn that killed at least eight people, including two children. On Wednesday, a three-story residential building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue collapsed onto an adjacent construction site at 2625 Bedford Avenue. The cause of the tragedy remains unknown, and emergency crews are still searching the rubble.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at a press conference Thursday that five key parties are tied to the project where the collapse occurred. The same companies and individuals are also involved in about 100 other construction projects across the city.
“Our Department of Buildings is beginning reviews of these sites today,” the mayor said.
“A tragedy of this scale demands a comprehensive and thorough investigation covering both the construction site and the building that collapsed,” Mamdani said.
A DOB spokesperson explained that such inspections are standard procedure after serious disasters. Inspectors are to check projects linked to the site of the tragedy through shared contractors, engineers, architects or owners to determine whether safety regulations are being followed.
Investigators are examining both the condition of the residential building and the work carried out at the construction site. The Department of Buildings and law enforcement agencies are taking part in the investigation.
The collapse occurred Wednesday, while excavation work was under way on the adjacent lot. The disaster also damaged neighboring properties. The building at 1323 Flatbush Avenue lost an exterior wall, and its residents, like the tenants of 1325 and 1327, were still unable to return to their homes. People evacuated from buildings farther south have already been allowed to return to their apartments. Flatbush Avenue remains closed between Bedford Avenue and Clarendon Road. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has rerouted the B8, B41, B49, B103 and BM2 bus lines.
Editor: JŁ
Source: Nowy Dziennik
