Deadly Building Collapse in Fez Kills 9, Rescue Efforts Ongoing

According to official data from this Friday, nine people have died. Eight of them were taken to Al Ghassani hospital and one to Ibn Al Khatib hospital. Seven other residents, including three children and four adults, were injured and are currently receiving medical care.

Following the collapse, Civil Protection services, supported by local authorities and security forces, intervened quickly. A security perimeter was set up around the collapsed structure, and significant resources were mobilized for rescue operations, initially motivated by calls for help heard under the rubble.

The building had been subject to a technical expertise conducted by the Public Laboratory of Tests and Studies (LPEE) as early as 2018. This report had classified the construction at the first degree of danger. Consequently, "evacuation orders were issued on November 15, 2018. Eight families responded favorably to these decisions, while five refused to leave the premises despite the warnings".