Collapse Of Two Buildings In Morocco’s Fes Kills 22

Collapse Of Two Buildings In Morocco’s Fes Kills 22

The tragic collapse of two adjacent buildings in the northern Moroccan city of Fes stands as one of the deadliest structural failures the country has experienced in recent years.

According to official reports, the incident occurred overnight in the Al-Moustakbal neighbourhood within the Al-Massira area, leading to the deaths of 22 people and injuring 16 others.

Rescue operations continued for hours as authorities searched for additional victims who might have been trapped beneath the rubble.

The collapse happened during a family celebration taking place in one of the buildings, while the second structure was unoccupied at the time. The Fes prosecutor’s office confirmed that an investigation had been launched to determine the true causes of the disaster, signalling concerns about construction quality and regulatory oversight.

Early accounts from residents suggested that building standards may not have been properly followed when the homes were originally constructed. One local resident noted that after the plots were allocated in 2007 as part of a resettlement programme, many occupants built their homes without strict adherence to development plans or official supervisionchannelstv.com.

Images from the scene showed emergency personnel working through the pre-dawn hours, using jackhammers, pickaxes, and mechanical excavators to clear debris. First responders were seen carrying bodies in grey bags while

 neighbours gathered anxiously nearby, hoping for news of loved ones. Local authorities warned that the death toll could rise as the search continued, and safety officials moved quickly to secure the surrounding area and evacuate nearby buildings to prevent further casualties.

The injured were transported to the University Hospital Centre in Fes for treatment. This incident marks the deadliest building collapse in Morocco in a decade.

The country has experienced several similar tragedies in recent years, including a 2014 collapse in Casablanca that killed 23 people, two fatal collapses in Marrakech in 2016, and multiple deadly incidents in Fes itself over the past two years. In one case last May, nine people died when a residential building, already listed as at risk, collapsed despite prior evacuation orders.

The Fes disaster has renewed national attention on construction oversight, urban planning, and the enforcement of safety regulations.

As the investigation proceeds, many residents and observers hope it will lead to stronger preventive measures and more rigorous monitoring of building practices to avoid future tragedies.