During the night of December 9-10, two four-story buildings collapsed in succession in the Al-Moustakbal district of Fez. According to a preliminary report from local authorities, at least 19 people have died and 16 have been injured.
The scene remains etched in the minds of those who witnessed the first few minutes. That's an understatement. Monaïm, still covered in dust, struggles to find the words. According to him, nothing foreshadowed such a collapse. He was driving along the main road when he saw the building crumble. He stopped and ran towards the rubble with other residents. Monaïm recounts helping an elderly man and a child to escape. If the building had been constructed properly, if everything had been done according to regulations, such a collapse should never have happened, he points out.
Mohamed, for his part, remembers the precise moment the collapse occurred. Around 11:30 p.m., the first building collapsed. Shortly after, the second collapsed in turn, triggering a scene of panic throughout the neighborhood.
He says he feels saddened by what happened to neighbors he has known for a long time. According to him, the tragedy has struck a neighborhood where everyone knows each other."They are our neighbors, there are many families here. What happened is truly unfortunate," he confides.
He recalls that the residents concerned had benefited from land after leaving the slums of Laâzim as part of a relocation program launched in 2007. Those who benefited from this program built their own houses, often in disregard of urban planning laws and construction standards, he adds.
In the neighborhood, shock mingles with incomprehension. Bilal Ben Daoued, a community activist, points out that this urban area is relatively new. He asserts that no one imagined a collapse here, in the heart of a sector built less than twenty years ago. For him, the tragedy reveals a deeper problem. He confirms that urban planning regulations were not applied as they should have been and that the tragedy was avoidable.
On site, civil protection teams are working tirelessly. The search continues for other potential victims. A security perimeter has been established around the collapsed structures, and residents of nearby homes have been evacuated as a precaution to prevent any further danger.
The injured were transported to the University Hospital Center of Fez for necessary examinations and appropriate treatment. Search operations are still ongoing, with rescue teams working to find and assist anyone who may still be trapped under the rubble.
