A deadly chain-reaction crash in Brooklyn on Tuesday evening left one person dead and multiple others injured after a van collided with a New York City Fire Department ladder truck, triggering a violent sequence of collisions on a busy neighborhood street.

Authorities say the incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. in the Gravesend neighborhood when a van traveling northbound on West 11th Street struck an FDNY ladder truck moving along Avenue S. The impact sent the heavy emergency vehicle forward into an Access-A-Ride van before it subsequently slammed into a Lexus SUV, creating a devastating multi-vehicle crash that unfolded within seconds.

Emergency responders rushed to the chaotic scene as victims were trapped in damaged vehicles and debris scattered across the intersection. According to police, a 78-year-old passenger riding in the Access-A-Ride van suffered severe injuries during the collision and was transported to a nearby hospital, where the individual later died. The victim’s identity has not yet been publicly released pending notification of family members.

Surveillance video captured by a nearby Ring camera recorded part of the frightening sequence of events. The footage shows the FDNY ladder truck barreling forward at high speed immediately after the initial collision with the van. The truck then violently impacts the Access-A-Ride vehicle and the Lexus SUV moments later, illustrating the sudden and uncontrollable nature of the chain-reaction crash. The beginning of the incident, including the initial moment when the van struck the fire truck, was not captured in the visible portion of the footage.