Why did a Brooklyn building collapse suddenly, killing eight? Experts point to excavation work at neighbouring construction site

The sudden collapse of a three-storey building in Brooklyn, New York, that killed at least eight people has raised questions about construction safety and whether excavation work at an adjoining site destabilised the structure. The building, located in the Flatbush neighbourhood, collapsed on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, plunging into an excavation pit at an adjacent construction site. At least 17 people were injured. The disaster triggered a major rescue operation involving around 250 firefighters and emergency responders.Structural engineers believe inadequate support for the soil surrounding the construction site could have played a crucial role in the collapse.According to experts interviewed by Scientific American, excavation work close to an existing building can destabilize its foundations if the surrounding soil is not adequately supported.Michael Chajes, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Delaware, said vibrations from construction machinery could have weakened the soil supporting the neighbouring structure. He suggested that the vibrations may have undermined the building, redistributed the forces acting on it and eventually triggered its collapse.How can excavation cause a building to collapse?When construction workers excavate land next to an existing building, they must install temporary support systems, commonly known as shoring, to prevent the surrounding soil from shifting or collapsing.