At least one worker is dead and a second hurt after a brick retaining wall collapsed in a Brooklyn neighborhood Monday afternoon, city officials confirmed.
The crew was working at a two-family residential structure on 42nd Street in Sunset Park when the wall collapsed, a spokesperson for the Department of Buildings said. The wall, located in the back yard of the home, fell around 1 p.m.
A 39-year-old construction worker was killed by the collapse, police said. The second worker, 25, was rescued from the rubble by firefighters and transported to a hospital for treatment after suffering life-threatening injuries.
An NYPD spokesperson said the brick wall was approximately 10-feet tall. Police advised people to stay clear of the area as rescue operations continued.
Inspectors for the Department of Buildings found that workers were hired to perform masonry repairs on a retaining wall for a building on 43rd Street, and were granted access to the adjoining backyard of the building on 42nd Street. The department did not issue any permits for construction at either property, however.
Investigators found that the workers were excavating the length of the retaining wall without adequate shoring, the DOB said, leading to the wall collapse.
A partial vacate order was issued for both backyards following the incident, the department said. A DOB investigation is ongoing.
Correction: This article previously attributed information provided by the NYPD to the Department of Buildings.
