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[UPDATES] Four-Story Building Collapses In Bed-Stuy
[UPDATES BELOW] A four-story building has collapsed in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, according to the FDNY.
Authorities say the building, located at 1438 Fulton Street near Tompkins Avenue, collapsed at around 2:29 p.m. The FDNY says it's an evolving situation but there have been no life-threatening injuries as of yet. Outlets are reporting that one passerby was struck by debris and injured, although it appears the building was empty when it collapsed.
One last photo before leaving the scene. pic.twitter.com/ElfquzD3d2
— Avram Grumer (@avram) July 14, 2015
Brooklyn: 1438 Fulton Ave. #FDNY On scene with a 4 story building that collapse. 1 minor injured civilian reported. pic.twitter.com/dVdOnnnRtF
— Worldwide Actions (@AlwaysActions) July 14, 2015
Four-story building partially collapsed in Brooklyn; 1 injury reported so far http://t.co/HCoFkqLs5E pic.twitter.com/SgNj2XSpa8
— Connor Ryan (@connortryan) July 14, 2015
#BREAKING a pretty nasty building collapse in Brooklyn. Fulton St in #BedStuy FDNY says no injuries so far. @ABC7NY pic.twitter.com/dbivUfR4Ol
— Stacey Sager (@staceysager7) July 14, 2015
Update Brooklyn: 1438 Fulton Ave. #FDNY Searching for victims. #NYPD Calling a Level 1 Mobilization for crowd control pic.twitter.com/h3NnSElYEN
— Worldwide Actions (@AlwaysActions) July 14, 2015
According to the MTA, A trains are running with delays and C trains are bypassing Kingston-Throop Avenues in both directions following the collapse.
Update 3:22 p.m.: The FDNY reports that there have been "a few" non life-threatening injuries, though they were unable to provide exact numbers.
Witness Amanda Grace Gamsby tells us, "I stepped out of the Bed-Stuy health center and went to go left to see this scene. There have to be at least fifty firefighters and Fulton is closed and absolutely packed with emergency vehicles from Marcy until at least Kingston. It apparently happened right before we stepped out of the doctors office and the folks in the front lobby said they'd just felt a pretty serious rumble."
According to MTA spokesperson Adam Lisberg, trains are bypassing the Kingston-Throop Avenue stop in order to prevent any further damage. "Trains are heavy and their vibrations can shake an unstable building—if searchers or victims are trapped inside, we don't want to do anything to cause further collapse," he said. "So whenever there's structural problems near a subway or elevated line, we run slow or suspend service until others (usually the Buildings Department) gives the all-clear."
Update 4:17 p.m.: Leslie Greene, who runs a clothing store on the other side of the block where the building collapsed, told us, "It took cops a while to get here, but that building had been a crackhouse. They had pimps, they had hookers, and they used to be in that other building but then they got kicked out of there so they moved into other building."
The building is not listed as vacant on the Department of Buildings' website, though it do not appear to be any recent complaints or violations that might suggest occupancy.
Update 4:28 p.m.: Wayne Cartwright of the FDNY confirmed at a brief press conference at the scene that three people sustained minor injuries in the vicinity of the collapse, and were treated at area hospitals. "From what we understand, the building has been unoccupied and was unoccupied at time of collapse," he said. The FDNY will remain in the area for the next 48 to 72 hours to investigate both the collapsed building and the neighboring building.
Tomdong Jerjum, who owns a luggage store across the street, told us, "Yesterday evening I saw firemen outside the building for thirty minutes, but they didn't go in." He added that it took firemen "a while" to arrive at the scene after the collapse.
Witness Crystal Joseph was eating at a restaurant next door when the collapse occurred. " I heard it before anything else, and then I went outside and saw all the dust and debris," she said. Joseph added that the building was in bad shape prior to the collapse. "That building should have had the X on it a long time ago. I think just a little bit of rain probably did it," she said.
Update 4:57 p.m.: FailedMessiah reports that the building was owned by Moses Strulowitz, who purchased the property and neighboring building 1426 Fulton Street for $11 million last year.
Strulowitz was the brother-in-law of Menachem Stark, the Williamsburg slumlord who was murdered last year.
Update 5:11 p.m.: The MTA says regular service has resumed on the A/C lines.
Additional reporting by Ben Miller.
