Rabat, Morocco: At least 19 people lost their lives and 16 others were injured after two residential buildings collapsed in the historic city of Fes, according to Morocco’s state news agency, as reported by Al Jazeera. Local accounts confirmed that children were among those killed in the tragic incident.
The two four-storey buildings were situated in the Al-Mustaqbal locality, where eight families were residing at the time of the collapse. Police teams and civil protection units immediately reached the scene, and videos circulating online showed rescue workers attempting to pull survivors and bodies from the debris. The injured were shifted to the University Hospital Centre in Fes for treatment.
The disaster has once again highlighted concerns regarding ageing and unsafe structures across Moroccan cities. Public anger over deteriorating infrastructure surfaced earlier in September when residents held demonstrations against poor living conditions, rising poverty, and inadequate public services.
Fes has witnessed similar tragedies in the past. In February last year, five people were killed after a house collapsed in the city’s old quarter. Across the country, building collapses have remained a recurring problem. In 2016, two separate incidents within a week resulted in multiple deaths and left more than 20 people injured in Marrakesh.
A government study conducted in 2023 identified more than 12,000 buildings in Marrakesh and nearby areas as vulnerable, according to reports cited by Al Jazeera. Officials have also warned that several structures may have weakened further following the powerful earthquakes that struck Morocco in the same year.
Rescue operations continued late into the night, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the latest collapse.
