“SHE CAN’T EVEN FIND THE WORDS TO SPEAK”: Young Brooklyn Dad, 26, Killed in Building Collapse — Pregnant Wife Left to Raise Their Children Without Him
“SHE CAN’T EVEN FIND THE WORDS TO SPEAK”: Young Brooklyn Dad, 26, Killed in Building Collapse — Pregnant Wife Left to Raise Their Children Without Him
He came to America from Ecuador six years ago, hoping to build a better future for his family. At just 26, José Luis Caguana Cosquillo was working in construction, raising a young child and preparing to welcome another baby with his wife. But on Wednesday afternoon, everything changed. A three-story building in Brooklyn suddenly collapsed into the construction site where he was working. José Luis never made it home. Now, his pregnant wife is facing an unimaginable loss, while his brother reveals that the young father was the family’s sole provider. And as New York mourns eight victims — including two children — investigators are asking whether warning signs at the neighboring construction site were properly addressed.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — November 13, 2026 — A 26-year-old construction worker whose wife is expecting their second child has been identified among the eight people who lost their lives in a devastating building collapse in Brooklyn.
José Luis Caguana Cosquillo, originally from Ecuador, was working near a three-story building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue when part of the structure collapsed into an adjacent excavation site on Wednesday, November 11.
The disaster occurred shortly after 4 p.m., triggering a massive emergency response.
José Luis was among two construction workers who died.
His brother, Carlos Caguana, confirmed the heartbreaking news to local media and described the family’s overwhelming grief.
The young father had moved to the United States approximately six years earlier.
He was working to provide for his wife and young child, with another baby expected soon.
His sudden loss has left his family facing a future they never imagined.
The Brother Who Delivered the Heartbreaking News
Carlos Caguana spoke publicly as relatives struggled to process what had happened.
He explained that José Luis was the family’s main financial provider.
His income helped support his wife and their child.
Now, with another baby on the way, the family faces profound uncertainty.
Carlos told reporters that his sister-in-law was overwhelmed by grief.
“She’s completely overwhelmed and can’t even find the words to speak.”
His description captured the emotional devastation surrounding the family’s loss.
A woman preparing to welcome another child must now confront the reality that her husband will not be there to share those moments.
The family has not publicly disclosed her name or the exact expected delivery date.
Those details deserve privacy as she mourns.
A Young Father Building His Future in America
José Luis left Ecuador approximately six years ago and settled in New York.
Like many immigrant construction workers, he took on physically demanding work to support his family.
Relatives described him as hardworking and devoted to those he loved.
He lived in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood.
He had already become a father and was preparing for the arrival of another child.
According to CBS New York, a friend said José Luis had a five-year-old daughter and was expecting a baby boy with his wife.
Those details have not been independently confirmed through a family statement, but they reflect the personal accounts shared with local reporters.
José Luis was only 26.
He had years of family milestones ahead of him.
His second child’s arrival should have been a moment of celebration.
Instead, the family is preparing to say goodbye.
The Wednesday Afternoon That Changed Everything
The building collapse occurred in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood.
The three-story structure contained apartments above a ground-floor commercial space.
It stood beside a construction site at 2625 Bedford Avenue.
Workers were carrying out excavation and foundation-related activities at the neighboring property.
Shortly after 4 p.m., part of the building suddenly gave way.
Bricks, wooden beams and other structural materials fell into the excavation pit.
An adjacent building was also damaged, exposing interior rooms.
The collapse sent emergency crews racing to the scene.
Some residents had been inside the building.
Construction workers were also present in the neighboring excavation area.
The sudden failure left people trapped beneath the debris.
José Luis was among those who did not survive.
Rescue Workers Race to Save Lives
More than 250 firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded.
The first units arrived approximately one minute after the emergency call.
Crews faced unstable debris, damaged walls and the danger of further structural failures.
Rescue dogs searched for signs of life.
Specialized teams used equipment to inspect difficult-to-reach areas.
Other workers carefully removed debris by hand.
Large machinery was brought in when conditions allowed.
The rescue operation continued overnight.
Every movement had to be carefully coordinated because shifting material could endanger both victims and rescuers.
Fire officials described the work as extremely dangerous.
Despite those risks, emergency personnel continued searching for survivors.
A Pregnant Woman Was Rescued Alive
One of the most extraordinary moments came when firefighters rescued a woman who was approximately six months pregnant.
She had been trapped in the wreckage.
Her husband was desperately searching for information about her whereabouts.
When he learned that she had survived, he became overwhelmed with relief.
“She is alive, she is still alive,” he told reporters.
The rescue offered hope to families waiting nearby.
It is important, however, not to confuse this survivor with José Luis’s pregnant wife.
They are different women whose families experienced very different outcomes.
One husband learned that his pregnant wife had survived.
José Luis’s wife learned that her husband would never return.
The contrast reflects the heartbreak and relief that unfolded during the same rescue operation.
Eight Victims, Including Two Children
As rescue teams searched the rubble, the confirmed number of fatalities rose.
By Thursday, November 12, officials had confirmed eight deaths.
Six adults and two children were among the victims.
The children were identified as Nicole Daniela Salvada Rodriguez, 9, and Kevin Santiago Reyes Gonzalez, 10.
Both died after being transported to hospitals.
The other six victims were adults.
According to CBS New York, the complete list of people killed was:
- Nicole Daniela Salvada Rodriguez, 9
- Kevin Santiago Reyes Gonzalez, 10
- Gabriel Siguencia, 22
- Barry Mamadou, 23
- José Luis Caguana Cosquillo, 26
- Edgar Sapon, 26
- Juan Daniel Salvada Guzman, 31
- Ndiaye Mamadou, 31
Two of the adults were construction workers.
Other victims had been living inside the collapsed building.
The names reveal the human scale of the disaster.
Behind each is a family, a community and a future that has been cut short.
Two Children Who Never Had the Chance to Grow Up
Among the eight people killed were a nine-year-old girl and a ten-year-old boy.
Their ages have added another devastating dimension to the tragedy.
Nicole Daniela Salvada Rodriguez and Kevin Santiago Reyes Gonzalez were among those who suffered fatal injuries.
The Colombian Consulate in New York confirmed that two children and one adult who died were Colombian citizens.
The full family relationships between the victims have not been publicly established in the reports reviewed.
For relatives, the loss of such young children brings a grief that cannot be measured through statistics.
They should have had years of school, birthdays and childhood memories ahead.
Instead, their names have become part of the list of victims from the Flatbush collapse.
A Soccer Player Remembered by His Community
Outside work, José Luis had another passion.
He loved soccer.
He played for Club La Bahia NY, a New York-based community soccer team.
Following the disaster, the club publicly mourned his passing.
Its president remembered him as a friend and valued member of the team.
The tribute spoke about the lasting absence he would leave behind and the memories shared with teammates.
For those who knew José Luis through soccer, he was not simply a construction worker or a name in a news report.
He was someone they spent time with on the field.
He belonged to a circle of friends who shared a love of the game.
His teammates now face the difficult reality of continuing without him.
His Brother Remembers Their Final Time Together
José Luis’s brother Julio also spoke about his loss.
In an interview reported by NBC New York, Julio recalled spending time with him shortly before the collapse.
They had watched sports together the previous Saturday.
He remembered José Luis as someone who was very good at playing soccer.
Those ordinary memories now carry enormous emotional weight.
Only days before the collapse, the brothers were enjoying time together.
There was no indication in the available reporting that José Luis expected Wednesday to be his final day at work.
The last moments relatives shared with him have become especially meaningful.
For the family, the tragedy was sudden.
Their lives changed within a single afternoon.
The Ecuadorian Community Mourns
The Consulate of Ecuador in New York publicly confirmed José Luis’s identity and expressed condolences.
The statement acknowledged the grief experienced by his family and loved ones.
Representatives of the consulate also visited a support center established for families affected by the collapse.
The disaster struck a neighborhood and workforce with strong immigrant connections.
Among the victims were people from Ecuador, Colombia and other countries.
Many had built lives in New York after leaving their home countries.
José Luis’s story has resonated with members of the Ecuadorian community because he represents families who depend on construction work and other demanding jobs to create financial stability.
His death leaves not only an emotional absence but also urgent practical challenges for his wife and children.
The Building Collapse That Shocked Brooklyn
The building at 1321 Flatbush Avenue had stood for nearly a century.
City records indicated that the structure dated to approximately 1930.
It contained four residential apartments and a commercial unit.
The neighboring property was undergoing construction.
When the building failed, a section fell into the adjacent excavation site.
The collapse also tore away part of another building’s wall.
Photographs showed bedrooms and belongings exposed to the outside.
Residents were displaced.
Businesses were disrupted.
Emergency workers secured the area and began searching through the damaged structures.
The scale of destruction left the neighborhood stunned.
Earlier Construction Violations Raise Questions
As families mourned, investigators began examining the construction history of the adjoining site.
According to Associated Press reporting, city inspectors had issued a stop-work order in March 2026.
The order involved concerns about protections for neighboring buildings during demolition.
Inspectors later found that work had resumed despite the restriction.
Authorities said corrective measures were subsequently taken, allowing construction to continue in May.
Those earlier records have now attracted renewed scrutiny.
Investigators must determine whether the conditions identified months earlier were related to the November collapse.
However, the violations do not establish that construction negligence caused the disaster.
The specific cause remains unknown.
Engineering findings and the results of the official investigation will be needed before responsibility can be determined.
The Investigation Is Far From Over
New York City’s Department of Buildings has launched an investigation.
Officials are examining the collapsed structure, construction permits and work performed at the adjacent site.
They are also reviewing inspection histories and safety requirements.
The excavation pit has become a central focus because the building fell into the neighboring construction area.
But officials have not reached a final conclusion.
The presence of excavation work does not automatically establish that the excavation caused the building to fail.
Investigators must determine what happened beneath and around the structure.
They must also assess whether any warning signs were missed.
For families who lost loved ones, those answers will be essential.
Rescue Operations Have Now Concluded
On Thursday afternoon, November 12, FDNY confirmed that rescue operations at the site had concluded.
That update followed more than a day of searching.
The confirmed death toll stood at eight.
Later reporting indicated that 18 other people had been injured.
Several survivors continued receiving medical treatment.
The completion of rescue operations marked a transition toward recovery, structural assessment and investigation.
It did not mean the aftermath was over.
Families were arranging funerals.
Displaced residents were seeking housing.
And investigators were beginning the difficult work of establishing why the collapse occurred.
A Wife Preparing for a Baby Without Her Husband
For José Luis’s wife, the tragedy has created a particularly painful situation.
She was already preparing for the arrival of another child.
Her husband had been the family’s primary financial provider.
He had moved to the United States to create opportunities for those he loved.
Now, as the family prepares to welcome a baby, they are also grieving his loss.
His brother Carlos described her emotional condition as overwhelming.
She had not been able to speak publicly about the tragedy.
That silence speaks to the magnitude of the grief relatives have described.
But it should not become an invitation to speculate about her medical or emotional condition.
Her family deserves privacy and meaningful support.
More Than a Construction Worker
José Luis Caguana Cosquillo was 26 years old.
He was an immigrant from Ecuador.
A construction worker.
A husband.
A father.
A brother.
And a soccer player.
Each identity represented a different relationship and responsibility.
His coworkers knew him through the demands of construction.
His teammates knew him through the game they loved.
His brothers knew him through a lifetime of family memories.
His wife and child knew him as part of their everyday world.
The disaster ended all those relationships in their familiar form.
The people he loved must now learn to live with his absence.
Why His Story Has Touched So Many People
The Brooklyn collapse was a large-scale emergency involving multiple victims.
But José Luis’s circumstances have attracted particular attention because of the young family he leaves behind.
He had worked for years to establish himself in the United States.
He was supporting his wife and child.
His family was preparing for another birth.
Then, in a matter of moments, he was gone.
His story reflects how a workplace disaster can affect generations.
A child loses a father.
A spouse loses a partner.
A family loses its main source of income.
Friends lose someone they expected to see again.
The consequences extend far beyond the initial emergency.
The Questions His Family Deserves Answered
There are still important questions surrounding the collapse.
What caused the building to fail?
Did conditions at the adjacent excavation site contribute?
Were construction and safety rules followed?
Were previously identified problems adequately corrected?
Could the danger have been recognized before the collapse?
Those questions have not been answered.
The investigation must establish the facts before assigning responsibility.
For José Luis’s family, the answers may help explain why he did not return home from work.
But no investigation can restore the life that was lost.
Eight Names Brooklyn Will Remember
The disaster has left New York mourning eight people.
Two were children.
Others were young adults building careers, supporting families and pursuing their own plans.
José Luis was among the construction workers killed.
His story has now become part of the broader tragedy.
The city must continue supporting injured survivors, displaced residents and the families of those who died.
It must also determine whether preventable failures contributed to the collapse.
That responsibility remains even after the rescue crews have departed.
The Future He Was Working to Build
José Luis Caguana Cosquillo came to New York from Ecuador approximately six years ago.
He worked in construction.
He played soccer with friends.
He supported his wife and young child.
And he was preparing to welcome another baby.
On November 11, he went to work near Flatbush Avenue.
He never came home.
His brother described a family overwhelmed by grief.
His soccer club remembered a friend whose absence would be deeply felt.
And the Ecuadorian community joined in mourning.
The most heartbreaking part of his story is not simply that he was only 26. It is that the future he was working so hard to build will now unfold without him.
As Brooklyn seeks answers about the collapse, José Luis’s wife faces the months ahead with a new baby on the way and a young child who has lost their father.
The city is investigating what caused eight people to lose their lives.
The family is left with a more personal question:
How do you begin preparing for a child’s arrival while grieving the person who was supposed to welcome that child beside you?
For José Luis’s loved ones, that is the painful reality left behind by the Brooklyn building collapse.
