Dozens Dead as Two Residential Buildings Collapse in Morocco’s Fez

At least 22 people were killed, and 16 were injured after two adjacent four-storey residential buildings collapsed overnight in Fez, one of Morocco’s oldest and most historic cities, authorities said Wednesday.

The tragedy struck in the Al‑Mustaqbal neighbourhood, where the buildings housed eight families, one of them was occupied at the time by people celebrating an “aqiqah,” a traditional Muslim ceremony marking the birth of a child.

Residents said the structures had shown visible cracks in recent weeks, but no effective preventative action was taken.

Rescue workers and civil‑protection teams scrambled to the scene soon after the collapse, using heavy machinery and digging equipment to search for survivors amid the rubble.

Victims were rushed to local hospitals; some of the injured are reportedly in critical condition. Officials described the death toll as preliminary, warning that it could rise if more bodies are found under debris still being cleared.

The catastrophe comes amid growing concern over the state of housing and infrastructure in Fez and other Moroccan cities, where many older buildings have been flagged as potentially dangerous.

This collapse has revived public anger over weak enforcement of building safety standards and inadequate maintenance. Observers say the disaster underscores the urgent need for structural inspections and housing reforms, especially in densely populated, economically vulnerable neighbourhoods.

The government has opened an official investigation into the cause of the collapse, and local authorities have evacuated nearby buildings while assessing risks for other long-standing residential structures.

Sources: Reuters; AP News; Al‑Monitor; Hespress; Arab News.