26-YEAR-OLD FATHER KILLED IN DEADLY BROOKLYN BUILDING COLLAPSE, LEAVING BEHIND PREGNANT WIFE AND YOUNG SON

He went to work hoping to build a better future for his family. Instead, a devastating building collapse took his life, leaving his pregnant wife and young son facing a future without him.

A family in Brooklyn, New York, is facing unimaginable heartbreak after 26-year-old José Luis Caguana Cosquillo was among eight people killed in a devastating building collapse.

José, an Ecuadorian immigrant and construction worker, was working near the construction site when tragedy struck on Wednesday afternoon, November 11, 2026.

He was just 26 years old.

Behind his death is a heartbreaking story of a young father who had spent years working hard to provide for the people he loved. Now, his wife is left to raise their young son while preparing to welcome another baby into the world without her husband.

A YOUNG FATHER WHO WORKED TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY

José was originally from Ecuador and had been living in the United States for approximately six years.

According to his family, he had worked in construction for years, determined to provide financial stability for his loved ones.

He was not simply a construction worker. He was a husband, a father and a son whose future was still unfolding.

His wife is currently pregnant with their second child, while their young son will now grow up without his father.

The loss has been especially devastating because José was reportedly the family’s sole financial provider.

His brother, Carlos Caguana, spoke about the enormous pain his family is experiencing.

“He was the sole provider for the family. Now that he’s gone, she is going through an immense amount of pain,” Carlos told NBC New York.

For his wife, the tragedy means losing the person she shared her life with at a time when their family was preparing for a new beginning.

THE DEADLY COLLAPSE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

The tragedy unfolded shortly after 4 p.m. on November 11 at 1321 Flatbush Avenue in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.

A three-story mixed-use building suddenly collapsed into an adjacent construction site where excavation work was underway.

The collapse sent enormous amounts of bricks, concrete and debris crashing into the construction area. Part of a neighboring building was also severely damaged, exposing the interiors of several apartments.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene as residents and workers were trapped beneath the rubble.

Firefighters, police officers and rescue specialists worked desperately to locate survivors.

More than 250 emergency personnel participated in the operation, carefully removing debris and searching for people who might still be alive.

Some construction workers who survived the collapse even joined firefighters in digging through the wreckage to help rescue others.

EIGHT PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES

As the rescue operation continued, the death toll rose.

On November 12, New York City officials confirmed that eight people had died, including six adults and two children, aged 9 and 10.

Eighteen others were injured, including four firefighters.

José was identified among the victims, along with several other people whose lives were taken in the disaster.

The victims came from different communities and backgrounds, including Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico and Trinidad.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed his condolences to the families affected by the tragedy, describing the collapse as a devastating loss for the city.

The emergency search operation concluded on Thursday evening, after rescue teams worked around the clock to locate everyone beneath the debris.

INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT CAUSED THE COLLAPSE

Authorities are now investigating what caused the three-story building to collapse.

The building was located next to an active construction project where excavation and foundation work were taking place.

Officials from the New York City Department of Buildings confirmed that the neighboring construction site had an active permit for excavation work.

Investigators are examining the construction activity, site conditions and other possible factors that may have contributed to the disaster.

Mayor Mamdani also announced that the city would review other construction sites connected to the companies involved.

As of November 13, officials had not established the exact cause of the collapse.

A FAMILY LEFT WITH QUESTIONS, GRIEF AND AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

For José’s family, however, the investigation cannot bring back the husband and father they have lost.

His wife is facing the unimaginable task of raising their children without the man who had worked so hard to support them.

Their unborn baby will never have the opportunity to be held by the father who was eagerly preparing for the next chapter of their family.

His brother and other relatives are also left grieving a young man whose life ended far too soon.

José’s story is one of eight lives lost in the Brooklyn disaster, but it also represents the families behind every victim — families whose worlds have been changed forever.

He was only 26. He had dreams, responsibilities and two children who needed him.

Please keep José’s pregnant wife, his young son, his unborn baby and all his grieving relatives in your thoughts and prayers.

May his family find strength in the days ahead, and may his memory live on in the hearts of everyone who loved him. 💔🙏