At least 22 killed as two Moroccan buildings collapse

At least 22 people died and 16 were injured when two adjacent buildings collapsed in Fez, one of Morocco’s oldest cities, the prosecutor said.

One of the buildings was empty, while the other was hosting Akika, a traditional Muslim celebration commemorating the birth of a child, the Fez prosecutor said in a statement.

The prosecutor said that the death toll was preliminary and an investigation had been launched.

In the statement made by local authorities, it was stated that eight families lived in the building where the celebration was held.

Both buildings were four stories high.

Reuters could not independently verify SNRT’s damage report, and the Home Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

SNRT showed rescue workers and residents digging through the rubble throughout the night to search for survivors.

“My son, who lives upstairs, told me that the building was going to collapse. When we went out, we saw that the building had collapsed,” an elderly woman wrapped in a blanket told SNRT without giving her name.

Another survivor, who lost his wife and three children in the collapse, told local Medi1 TV early Wednesday that rescuers were able to retrieve one body but he was still waiting for others.

Fez, an ancient capital dating back to the eighth century and the country’s third most populous city, was caught up in a wave of protests against the government two months ago over deteriorating living conditions and poor public services.

About 38,800 buildings across the country were classified as at risk of collapse in January, housing minister Adib Ben Ibrahim said.

Wednesday’s collapse was one of the worst in Morocco since the collapse of a minaret in the historic northern city of Meknes in 2010, killing 41 people.

Most of Morocco’s population, financial and industrial centers, and vital infrastructure are concentrated in the northwest, with the rest of the country dependent on agriculture, fishing, and tourism.

In October, youth-led unrest revealed deep anger over poverty and public services as the government pushed ahead with ambitious infrastructure projects and the opening of modern stadiums ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Fez, one of the cities that will host the World Cup and this month’s African Cup of Nations football tournament, is one of the poorest urban centers in the country with its aging infrastructure.