At least 19 killed, 16 injured in Morocco building collapse

At least 19 people died, and 16 others were injured on Wednesday after two residential buildings collapsed in the city of Fez, Morocco.

Local officials told state media that the four-storey structures housed eight families. They collapsed in the early hours of the morning.

Reports from Moroccan outlets said the buildings, located in the Al Massira area of the city’s newer district, had shown signs of deterioration for years.

Fez, in north-eastern Morocco, is one of the North African nation’s oldest cities, with parts dating back to the 8th Century, as well as being its third-most populous.

A search and rescue operation is ongoing to find anyone who may still be trapped under the rubble. Footage from the scene shows people and diggers sifting through the debris under the cover of darkness.

In one clip, published by news site Akhbarona, a body can be seen being carried away on a stretcher by emergency services.

Residents of nearby buildings have been evacuated as a preventative measure, state media reports.

Those taken to the hospital suffered varying injuries.

Nine people were killed when a condemned building collapsed in a different neighbourhood of Fez in May.

Before that, five people were killed when a house in the old city crumbled in February 2024, following heavy rain and strong winds.

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