By: Richard L. Smith
A devastating building collapse in Flatbush, Brooklyn, has reportedly claimed six lives and injured about 17 others, including four critically, as emergency crews continue searching through the wreckage.
I’ve been following this tragedy since shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday, and by early Thursday morning, live coverage showed additional victims being removed from the rubble.
The collapse occurred at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, where a three-story building came crashing down near an adjoining construction site.
Approximately 250 emergency personnel responded, with firefighters arriving within about a minute of the initial call. Crews worked through the night, carefully removing debris while searching for anyone who might remain trapped.
With rain expected Thursday, conditions could become even more dangerous for rescuers.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse, including nearby construction activity. No official determination has been made.
Watching this take place through broadcast media, I couldn’t help thinking about Newark and the tremendous amount of construction happening throughout North Jersey.
I regularly drive through Newark, Irvington, Harrison, Kearny and surrounding communities, and it’s becoming difficult to travel even several blocks without seeing another apartment building going up.
From high-rise developments to smaller residential buildings, construction is changing the appearance of our neighborhoods almost daily.
Just recently, we reported on a new development celebrated with a ribbon-cutting in Irvington.
While this growth is encouraging, the Brooklyn tragedy raises an important question: Are we doing enough to protect neighboring buildings and residents while these projects are underway?
New Jersey has regulations designed to prevent construction-related disasters.
Under the state’s Uniform Construction Code, developers must obtain required permits, undergo inspections and meet structural safety standards.
One regulation, N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.34, specifically requires safeguards to protect neighboring properties from hazardous conditions associated with construction and demolition.
But with so many projects underway, it’s worth asking whether municipal construction departments have sufficient staffing to monitor them properly, particularly when excavation takes place beside older buildings.
Residents should also know that new cracks, unusual structural movement or other concerning changes near construction sites should be reported to local construction officials. Immediate dangers should be reported to 911.
There is no evidence suggesting that construction projects in Newark or surrounding communities face the same circumstances as the Brooklyn collapse, and investigators have not determined what caused Wednesday’s disaster.
Still, with Thanksgiving just two weeks away, families in Flatbush are facing unimaginable loss, while others have been displaced from their homes.
Although this tragedy happened outside our New Jersey coverage area, the questions it raises are worth considering here.
As our communities continue to grow, we should make certain that construction safety and oversight grow along with them.
New buildings may change a neighborhood’s skyline, but protecting the people who live there must remain the priority.