In a heartbreaking disaster on the night of Tuesday, December 9, 2025, two adjacent four-story buildings collapsed in the Al-Mustaqbal neighborhood of Fez, Morocco. The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people, including women and children, and left 16 others injured.
The tragedy occurred during an Aqiqah – a traditional Islamic celebration marking the birth of a newborn – which was being held in one of the buildings occupied by eight families. The second building was reportedly vacant at the time.
“My son told me the building was coming down. When we ran out, we saw it collapsing,” one survivor recounted to SNRT News. Another man shared the tragic loss of his wife and three children in the rubble.
This is the second fatal collapse in Fez this year; a similar incident in May killed 10 people.
Causes and Allegations
While a formal judicial and technical investigation is ongoing, preliminary reports and local witnesses have highlighted several critical factors:
- Structural Violations: Local news outlet Hespress reported that while the buildings were originally permitted for only two stories, the owners allegedly added two additional floors illegally, violating building regulations.
- Ignored Warnings: Residents in the densely populated area stated that the structures had shown visible cracks and signs of deterioration for years.
- “Self-Construction” Scheme: The buildings were part of a 2006 government initiative designed to help shantytown dwellers build their own homes on allocated plots. Critics argue that a lack of oversight in this “self-construction” model has left many structures vulnerable.
The collapse is the deadliest building accident in Morocco since 2010 and has renewed public anger over infrastructure safety. Earlier in 2025, government officials warned that approximately 38,800 buildings across Morocco were at high risk of collapse.
The tragedy follows a wave of anti-government protests in October 2025, where citizens criticized the government for prioritizing massive spending on stadiums for the 2030 World Cup over basic public safety and urban services.
