At least twenty two people have died and sixteen others were injured after two residential buildings collapsed in the Moroccan city of Fez. The four storey blocks, which came down early on Wednesday, were home to eight families, according to local officials quoted by state media.
Several Moroccan outlets reported that the buildings, located in the Al Massira suburb in the south west of the city’s new district, had shown signs of deterioration for years. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse.
Fez, one of Morocco’s oldest cities with origins dating back to the eighth century, is the country’s third most populous urban centre. Search and rescue teams continued to sift through the rubble through the night, using heavy machinery alongside volunteers and emergency personnel. Video published by local media showed workers carrying a body away on a stretcher.
Residents living in nearby blocks were evacuated as a precaution. Those injured were taken to hospital with varying levels of trauma. The public prosecutor’s office said one of the buildings was empty, while the other had been hosting a celebration for the birth of a child when the collapse occurred. It has opened an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Some residents blamed poor construction and overcrowded building practices. One local, Abdelali, told Hespress that one building had toppled onto the other. Another witness said the collapse unfolded in less than two minutes, leaving neighbours shocked and rushing into the streets.
Fez was among the Moroccan cities that saw youth led protests earlier this year, with demands for better housing and improved infrastructure. Morocco’s housing minister, Adib Ben Ibrahim, said in January that around 13,700 buildings across the country were at imminent risk of collapse.
Nine people died in May when a condemned building fell in another part of Fez. Five others were killed in February 2024 when a house in the old city crumbled following heavy rain and strong winds.