Tangier Factory Tragedy: Illegal Construction Linked to 28 Deaths

Revelations that incriminate the villa owner. Without a driver’s license and architectural plan, he had built on an unbuildable (flood-prone) area crossed by a wadi, reports Al Akhbar. The residential subdivision was built on this area. In 1996, he had obtained the authorization of a rural municipality. He had thus built a basement, a ground floor and three floors without following the legal procedures necessary to obtain a building permit. As a result, several workers lost their lives during a flood that hit Tangier on February 8.

The textile company director had not, for his part, obtained the operating permit from the municipality. He had been refused by the competent services, as he did not meet the necessary conditions for the exercise of this activity. He would nevertheless have obtained the authorization from the chamber of commerce and industry.

Prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter, negligence causing injury, labor code violations and employment of minors, the company manager is in pre-trial detention. The correctional chamber should rule on this case this week.