Tragedy
26-Year-Old Father With Baby on the Way Identified as First Victim in Brooklyn Building Collapse
The first victim has been identified in a devastating building collapse in New York City.
As rescue workers continue to pull people from the rubble after a three-story apartment building came crashing down in Brooklyn on Wednesday, November 11, the first of eight confirmed dead has been named.
Jose Luis Caguana died after the building crumbled, leaving behind his pregnant wife and their young child.
According to The U.S. Sun, Jose, 26, was just days away from becoming a father of two when he died Wednesday. Jose was an Ecuadorian immigrant who moved to the U.S. six years ago and played soccer for New York-based Club La Bahia, the outlet notes.
He was also working in construction to support his family, his brother, Carlos, revealed in an interview with Univision after the collapse.
“Her husband has passed away,” Carlos said as he stood beside his brother’s widow. “He was the sole provider for the family.”
He continued, “Now that he’s gone, she is going through an immense amount of pain. She is in a very bad state right now — she’s completely overwhelmed and can’t even find the words to speak.”
Club La Bahia NY also paid tribute to the young father amid the news in a post on Facebook.
“The [club] is in mourning for the irreparable loss of our neighbor and friend. Your absence leaves an immense void, but you also leave a legacy of love, friendship and camaraderie,” the club’s president wrote in the post, which was translated from Spanish to English. “Rest in peace, my friend. Today my heart cries because your absence leaves an immense void, but you also leave a legacy of love, friendship, and camaraderie. I will always remember you as a unique player with that magic in your feet — memories I will never forget.”
More than 250 emergency responders have been on the scene since the collapse Wednesday, as they work to pull survivors — including a pregnant woman — from mountains of debris. As of Thursday morning, at least 17 people were counted among the injured, including seven children, ABC7 New York reported.
The cause of the building collapse remains unclear, but the New York City Department of Buildings is investigating, Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said, per the New York Post.
“We have immediately launched a full investigation into how exactly this happened with our law enforcement partners, and we will be looking into all aspects of the building and the neighboring construction site,” Tigani, 42, said at the scene.
