A devastating structural failure in the Moroccan city of Fez has resulted in significant casualties, with authorities confirming at least 19 fatalities and 16 individuals injured. The catastrophe occurred in the early hours of Wednesday when two adjacent four-story residential buildings suddenly collapsed in the Al Massira suburb, located in the newer southwestern district of the ancient city.
According to official statements carried by state media, the collapsed structures housed eight families, raising concerns about the potential for additional casualties as emergency teams continue search and rescue operations. Multiple Moroccan news outlets have reported that both buildings had exhibited visible signs of structural deterioration for several years prior to the incident, suggesting possible maintenance issues or regulatory oversights.
Fez, renowned as one of Morocco’s oldest urban centers with historical sections dating to the 8th century, now faces urgent questions about building safety standards in its modern developments. Emergency personnel worked through the night using heavy machinery and manual efforts to search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble. Distressing footage from the scene, including video published by news outlet Akhbarona, shows rescue workers carrying victims on stretchers amid the extensive debris field.
As a precautionary measure, authorities have evacuated residents from neighboring buildings while medical facilities treat those injured with varying severity of wounds. This tragedy represents the third major building collapse in Fez within recent memory, following a May incident that killed nine people in a condemned structure and a February 2024 event that claimed five lives in the old city following severe weather conditions.
The repeated structural failures in this historically significant North African city, which ranks as Morocco’s third most populous urban center, have raised serious concerns about building safety regulations, maintenance enforcement, and urban development practices in rapidly growing areas.