A tragic incident in the Moroccan city of Fez has led to the collapse of two four-storey residential buildings, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 people and injuries to 16 others. The collapse occurred early on a Wednesday morning in the Al Massira suburb, located in the new part of the city. State media reports, citing local officials, indicated that the buildings housed eight families. Disturbingly, one of the buildings was hosting an Aqiqah, a traditional Muslim celebration marking the birth of a child, at the time of the collapse, while the other was unoccupied.

Local news outlets and witnesses reported that the buildings had exhibited signs of deterioration and cracking for several years. Residents, including Abdelali, were quick to blame haphazard construction, with one noting that a building had fallen onto the other. Another resident, Idris, described the event as sudden, occurring in less than two minutes, causing widespread shock and immediate evacuation of nearby homes.

Following the incident, a comprehensive investigation has been launched. The public prosecutor's office in Fez has opened a judicial probe into the cause and circumstances of the collapse. Additionally, local authorities have initiated a technical and administrative investigation to determine the exact factors that led to the structural failure. A search and rescue operation is ongoing, with footage showing emergency services and residents sifting through debris in hopes of finding anyone still trapped.

Fez, one of North Africa's oldest cities with parts dating back to the 8th Century and its third-most populous, has a history intertwined with its infrastructure challenges. The collapsed buildings, erected in 2006, were part of a government scheme designed to allow residents of shantytowns to construct their own homes on allocated plots. This incident highlights a broader issue in Morocco, as the country's housing minister, Adib Ben Ibrahim (also referred to as housing secretary of state), had stated in January that approximately 38,800 buildings nationwide were classified as being at risk of collapse, an increase from an earlier estimate of 13,700.

This particular collapse is considered one of Morocco's worst building disasters in 15 years, comparable to the fall of a minaret in Meknes in 2010 that killed 41 people. Fez itself has experienced previous building collapses, including nine deaths in a condemned building in a different neighborhood in May, and five fatalities when a house crumbled in the old city in February 2024 due to heavy rain and strong winds.

The tragedy also brings to light the social context of Fez, which was among cities that experienced youth-led anti-government protests a few months prior. Demonstrators voiced deep-seated anger over deteriorating living conditions, poor public services, and specifically demanded improved housing and infrastructure. While the government pushes forward with ambitious infrastructure projects for events like the 2030 FIFA World Cup, Fez, a host city for the World Cup and the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament, continues to grapple with some of the country's poorest neighborhoods and significant urban development challenges.