A 6-year-old girl suffered a broken leg and a head injury after being struck by a falling brick in Queens on Thursday evening. The incident occurred around 7:35 p.m. near a construction site in Maspeth, according to police and family sources.

The child was walking with her mother when she stopped to wave at her father, who was working on a nearby building. At that moment, a piece of brick siding detached from a storage facility and fell onto the girl, who was hit “within seconds,” her father, who declined to be named, said. The impact caused her to fall to the sidewalk and cry out in pain.

Emergency responders were called to the scene, where the girl was found with a cut on her head and a broken femur. Police confirmed the injury will require surgery. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the falling brick to determine any potential safety violations at the construction site.

The father expressed uncertainty about the exact details of the accident but described the event as sudden and distressing. The family and officials continue to monitor the girl’s condition as she prepares for surgery.