Two four-storey residential buildings collapsed overnight in Fez, Morocco, killing at least 19 people and injuring 16 others. The tragedy in the country's third-largest city marks the second deadly building collapse there this year, highlighting persistent infrastructure problems in one of Morocco's historic urban centers.
Eight families were living in the adjacent structures when they came down early Wednesday in the Al-Mustaqbal neighbourhood. Local authorities, security services and civil protection units immediately launched search and rescue operations to find potential survivors trapped in the debris. The injured were transported to hospital for treatment.
Officials evacuated residents from nearby buildings as a precautionary measure. Footage from the scene showed rescue workers and residents sifting through rubble in darkness, with diggers assisting in the search efforts.
Warning signs ignored
The collapsed buildings had displayed signs of deterioration for years. Morocco's state news website SNRT reported that «the scene indicates that the two collapsed buildings had been showing signs of cracking for some time, without any effective preventive measures being taken.»
The cause of Wednesday's collapse remained unclear as authorities continued their investigation.
Pattern of infrastructure failures
This is the second fatal building collapse in Fez in 2025. In May, another structure came down in a different neighbourhood, killing ten people and injuring seven. That building had reportedly already been slated for evacuation, according to Moroccan outlet Le360.
Fez, a former capital dating back to the eighth century, is known for its walled city, medieval souks and tanneries. But it is also one of Morocco's poorer urban centers where aging infrastructure is widespread.
Political tensions over investment priorities
Building codes are frequently not enforced in Morocco, particularly in ancient cities with numerous aging multifamily homes. Earlier this year, protests swept across the country as demonstrators criticized the government for investing in new stadiums rather than addressing inequality in healthcare, education and other public services.
The criticism carries particular weight as Fez prepares to host matches for this month's Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Most of Morocco's financial and industrial hubs are concentrated in the northwest, while other regions rely heavily on farming, fisheries and tourism.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
