Brooklyn Building Collapse: Man Whose Wife Was Injured Wants Answers
Family Caught in Collapse
The multi-use building where Anderson Velez’s family resided collapsed on Wednesday. Velez was not home when it happened. He told CBS News that, on hearing the news, he feared his children had “lost their lives,” according to Velez. His wife and son were injured.
Deaths and Injuries Reported
Eight people died in the collapse, including two children. Those who died ranged in age from 9 to 31. Another 18 people were injured.
Investigation and Building Records
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has launched a criminal investigation into the collapse, as the search for answers and accountability begins. New York City Department of Buildings records show the property had 98 open violations. The department said the violation was addressed in May and the stop-work order was lifted.
Council Member Calls for Answers
At a news conference Friday, New York City Council member Farah Louis said buildings do not collapse without systemic failures. She pointed to the building’s nearly 100 open violations and an excavation site next to it that had been cited for violating a stop-work order. CBS News said it had contacted the building’s owner for comment but had not received a response.
Key points
- Eight people, including two children, died in the collapse; another 18 were injured.
- Anderson Velez’s wife and son were among those injured.
- The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has opened a criminal investigation.
- City records showed 98 open violations; the department said the violation was addressed in May and the stop-work order lifted.