The warnings were there. Now Brooklyn wants answers after deadly building collapse
New York Attorney General Letitia James says her office is prepared to assist with the prosecution if necessary.
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The investigation into the deadly Brooklyn building collapse is moving forward, with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office examining whether criminal charges should be brought against those responsible.
The collapse killed eight people, including two children, and left a community searching for answers.
New York Attorney General Letitia James says her office is prepared to assist with the prosecution if necessary.
“Right now, I have full confidence in Eric Gonzalez and his office to engage in a full and thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding this tragedy,” James said.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams says the tragedy should serve as a warning to the rest of the city, particularly when it comes to construction safety and landlord accountability.
“This has to be a lesson for the rest of this city. We cannot go through this again, particularly when people are being negligent,” Williams said.
Williams is pointing to both the construction site and the building’s owner, Olufemi Falade, who was jailed for 12 days in 2006 for failing to make repairs to his properties. Falade is also listed on the Public Advocate’s Worst Landlords list, with nearly 100 open Department of Buildings violations.
An investigation by News 12 uncovered photographs showing cracks along the north wall of 1321 Flatbush Ave., taken eight months before the collapse. A pre-construction survey filed with the Department of Buildings rated the wall in poor condition.
The Department of Buildings issued a stop-work order as concerns over construction safety mounted.
On March 20, city inspectors found crews demolishing an adjacent building without adequate overhead protection for neighboring properties.
When inspectors returned the following month, they found demolition work had resumed despite the stop-work order, prompting a second violation.
By May 8, the DOB said the safety issues had been addressed and lifted the stop-work order.
The excavation underway when the building collapsed was permitted, according to the Department of Buildings. However, the construction work and the building’s owner remain central to the ongoing investigation.
Williams says if investigators uncover multiple instances of negligence involving both the property and construction work, criminal accountability should be considered.
“If you have multiple [instances of] negligence, both on the building side and all the construction side, there definitely should be a criminal investigation and I believe arrest at some point, if that is the case,” Williams said.
Attorney General James says her office will help the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office prosecute the case if needed.
For a community still grieving eight lives lost, the investigation marks another step toward answers and accountability.
