Brooklyn Building Collapse: Investigation Into Violations and Negligence

The Brooklyn building collapse exposed serious concerns about safety compliance at the construction site. A contractor involved in the construction faced previous citations from NYC for demolition-related issues at the Bedford Ave. location. The contractor violated an order to stop work, as city records reviewed by the Daily News reveal.

Olufemi Falade, linked to the building’s ownership, was imprisoned in the past for ignoring housing violations at his properties. The adjacent building, 1321 Flatbush Ave., had 98 ongoing violations. These included defective doors, unsafe wiring, leaking ceilings, and missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The cause of the collapse remains under investigation, with the death toll reaching eight, including an immigrant worker with a pregnant wife.

A building does not simply collapse in the middle of a residential neighborhood without warning signs or systemic failures.

—Farah Louis, City Council Member

Farah Louis, representing the Flatbush area, demands a thorough investigation into the building’s inspection records, permits, violations, and landlord history.

The city records indicated numerous demolition complaints at 2625 Bedford Ave. In March, the contractor faced a $2,500 fine for starting demolition without proper overhead protection. Complaints to the Department of Buildings (DOB) noted unsafe demolition practices, leading to a stop-work order, which the contractor ignored. By April, inspections showed continued work in defiance of the order. Records state demolition was completed by May, and fines were paid, yet the broader impact remains unclear.

The records also showed permits for excavation involving explosive rock blasting scheduled for September. It is unknown what work occurred on the lead-up to the collapse.

History of Violations

City records indicated longstanding issues at the collapsed building. Falade, linked to its ownership, served 12 days in jail in 2006 for over 600 violations at different properties. These conditions, called “inhuman,” were not connected to 1321 Flatbush Ave., but other properties owned by Falade at that time.

Olufemi Falade had owned the Flatbush building through an LLC since 1999. Commissioner Ahmed Tigani noted that the Bedford Ave. site, slated for a three-story building, sought permits for a nine-story development.

Previously, two women bought the Bedford Ave. property, a former one-story commercial site, for $3.9 million. This context raises questions about safety and transparency in construction practices across the city.