DAD AND 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER KILLED IN HORRIFIC BROOKLYN BUILDING COLLAPSE — FAMILY SAYS THEY RARELY LEFT HOME FEARING ICE

Juan Daniel Sabala, 31, and his young daughter Nicole were among eight people killed when a three-story building collapsed in Brooklyn. Their family had come to America seeking a better future, but a devastating tragedy has left their loved ones grieving across two countries.

A family’s American dream has ended in unimaginable tragedy after a father and his 9-year-old daughter were killed in a devastating building collapse in Brooklyn, New York.

Juan Daniel Sabala, 31, and his daughter, Nicole Daniela Rodriguez, 9, were among eight people who lost their lives when a three-story residential building in the Flatbush neighborhood suddenly collapsed on Wednesday afternoon, November 11, 2026.

The disaster also claimed the life of another young member of their extended family, 10-year-old Kevin Santiago Reyes Gonzalez, who was Nicole’s cousin.

According to relatives, the Colombian family had moved to the United States approximately three or four years earlier, hoping to build a safer and better life.

But on Wednesday, their lives were shattered when the building they called home came crashing down.

A FAMILY THAT RARELY LEFT HOME

In an emotional interview with Gothamist, Juan Carlos Zabala, a cousin of the deceased father, revealed that Juan Daniel and his family had increasingly become afraid of being encountered by federal immigration authorities.

According to Juan Carlos, concerns surrounding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had deeply affected the family’s daily lives.

They reportedly limited their movements outside the apartment, following a routine of going to work and returning directly home.

“They stayed shut inside, from work to home and home to work because they were afraid of being deported,” Juan Carlos explained.

Juan Daniel had been working for a cleaning company while trying to provide for his family.

The relatives were reportedly at home on Wednesday because it was Veterans Day, a federal holiday.

What should have been an ordinary day together turned into a nightmare.

Juan Carlos had actually been planning to visit his relatives in December. Instead, he was left mourning three members of his family.

“We have no words,” he said, describing the devastating loss.

“They were following the American dream.”

HIS WIFE AND YOUNGEST DAUGHTER SURVIVED — BUT REMAIN HOSPITALIZED

The tragedy was even more devastating because Juan Daniel’s entire immediate family was affected.

His wife and their 3-year-old daughter survived the collapse but were hospitalized following the disaster.

According to Juan Carlos, Juan Daniel’s wife remained in intensive care as relatives desperately awaited updates on her condition.

The family was now facing the heartbreaking reality of losing a father and a 9-year-old daughter while trying to support the two survivors through their recovery.

For relatives living far away, the distance made the grief even harder to bear.

Juan Carlos, who was speaking from Spain, expressed sadness over losing loved ones while also being far from his own home country.

He reflected on the uncertainty faced by families who leave everything behind in search of a better future.

EIGHT PEOPLE KILLED AS BUILDING COLLAPSES INTO CONSTRUCTION SITE

The collapse occurred shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday near Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.

The three-story building collapsed into an adjacent excavation and construction site, leaving a massive pile of rubble.

Part of a neighboring building was also damaged, exposing the interiors of apartments and the belongings of residents.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene, launching an extensive search-and-rescue operation involving firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel.

Workers at the nearby construction site also reportedly helped rescue people trapped beneath the debris.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised their efforts, explaining that some construction workers who had barely escaped the collapse themselves turned back to help pull victims from the rubble.

The rescue operation continued through the night and into Thursday afternoon.

Authorities ultimately confirmed that eight people had died and 18 others were injured, including four firefighters.

The eight victims were identified as:

• Nicole Daniela Salvada Rodriguez, 9
• Kevin Santiago Reyes Gonzalez, 10
• Juan Daniel Salvada Guzman, 31
• Gabriel Siguencia, 22
• Barry Mamadou, 23
• Jose Luis Caguana Cosquillo, 26
• Edgar Sapon, 26
• Ndiaye Mamadou, 31

Several victims were immigrants from different countries, including Colombia, Ecuador and other parts of the world.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUILDING AND NEARBY CONSTRUCTION

As families mourned their loved ones, questions began emerging about what caused the building to collapse.

The structure stood next to an excavation site where construction work was underway.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin highlighted concerns about the property’s history during a news conference.

She said records showed the building had nearly 100 open violations, while the neighboring excavation site had also been cited for violating a stop-work order.

The circumstances surrounding the construction work and the building’s structural condition are now under investigation.

Authorities have not yet established the definitive cause of the collapse.

New York Attorney General Letitia James also expressed concern and said her office was prepared to assist as officials worked to determine what happened.

The families of the victims are now waiting for answers about how such a devastating disaster could have occurred.

AN AMERICAN DREAM CUT SHORT

For Juan Daniel Sabala’s relatives, the loss is about much more than the destruction of a building.

It is the loss of a father, a daughter, a cousin and a family that had traveled thousands of miles hoping to create a better future.

Nicole was only 9 years old. Her cousin Kevin was just 10.

Juan Daniel was 31 and still building his life, working to support the people he loved.

Now, his wife and youngest daughter are left to recover from injuries while facing a future without him and Nicole.

Juan Carlos had hoped to see his cousin again in December. That visit will never happen.

His words captured the heartbreak of a family whose hopes were replaced by grief.

“We came with a dream, hoping for a better life. And at the end, we don’t know what will happen to us.”

The investigation into the collapse continues as Brooklyn mourns the eight people who lost their lives.

A father and his little girl left home that Wednesday with no idea that it would become their final day together. Their family came to America searching for a new beginning. Instead, they are now left with an unimaginable loss.