Written by: Mohamed Ragab
At least nine people were killed and others injured when a residential building collapsed in the city of Fez, in an incident that brought back to the forefront the crisis of dilapidated buildings in Morocco, especially in old and densely populated areas.
Moroccan authorities stated that the residential building collapsed suddenly, while the full number of people who were inside at the time of the incident was not immediately clear, amid ongoing search and rescue operations under the rubble.
Collapse death toll
Initial reports indicated that the toll was initially recorded as 4 dead and 6 injured before the number of victims later rose to 9 dead.
The public prosecutor's office in Fez confirmed that a judicial investigation has been opened to determine the causes of the collapse and uncover potential responsibilities, while authorities have deployed civil protection and security teams to the scene of the accident to continue rescue operations and secure the area.
Evacuation of a number of adjacent buildings
Authorities also evacuated several neighboring buildings as a precaution, fearing further collapses, especially since the collapsed building is located in a densely populated residential area. Local media reported that the building dates back to the 1980s.
The incident comes after a series of similar collapses in the city of Fez in recent months, most notably the collapse of two buildings last December, which killed 22 people, in addition to a similar incident last year that also killed 9 people.
Official data indicates that tens of thousands of classified buildings are at risk of collapse throughout Morocco.
The Moroccan city of Fez has been facing increasing challenges for years regarding its old and dilapidated buildings, particularly in densely populated working-class neighborhoods and historical areas. Building collapses have become more frequent in the city in recent years, resulting in deaths and injuries, amid growing calls for accelerated restoration and rehabilitation programs.
Moroccan authorities confirm that they are working to identify buildings at risk of collapse and to take preventive measures to protect residents, but the weak infrastructure and the age of a large number of properties increase the seriousness of the situation.
The recent building collapse in Fez has reignited the debate about the safety of old buildings and the need to strengthen engineering oversight and preventive measures.
