Video Inside Brooklyn Building Shows Walls Caving as Family Escapes Collapse

Moments Before the Collapse

The family’s toddler, Joseph, was playing with toys on the floor of their third-floor apartment when his mother began screaming. His older brother ran from the kitchen toward a bedroom, carrying a carton of milk.

The walls then shook and rumbled before caving in within seconds. Windows were blown out, floors trembled and debris fell, according to footage from a surveillance camera in the apartment.

Search Ends After 24 Hours

The three-story building in Brooklyn’s Flatbush section collapsed Wednesday afternoon onto a neighboring construction site. Officials said eight people died, including two children, and at least 18 were injured.

The cause of the collapse is unclear. Rescue workers concluded their search Thursday night, after 24 hours in the rubble, and determined that there were no more victims.

Father Was Away at Work

Anderson said the family lived on the top floor in an apartment facing the street. He had been with his sons until 3 p.m. Wednesday, when he left for a construction job painting walls in the Bronx. He had just settled in when his wife called in a panic.