Rabat – Morocco: Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that the death toll from the collapse of a residential building in the Moroccan city of Fez has risen to 15, according to local sources, while search and rescue operations continue at the scene of the accident.
Sources stated that rescue teams are still working under difficult conditions to extract those trapped under the rubble, amid concerns that the number of casualties may increase in the coming hours.
Ongoing Rescue Operations and Intensive Efforts by Civil Protection Personnel
Preliminary data indicated that the collapse occurred suddenly in a residential neighborhood, leading to the collapse of large parts of the building on its residents, while local authorities and civil protection personnel rushed to the scene immediately after it occurred.
Specialized teams supported by search mechanisms under the rubble are participating in the rescue operations, in an attempt to reach potential survivors.
Investigations into the Causes of the Incident and Safety Dilemmas of Old Buildings
In a related context, Moroccan authorities have opened an investigation to determine the causes of the building’s collapse, amid preliminary speculation pointing to the possibility of structural defects or deterioration in the building’s infrastructure.
Some Moroccan cities witness from time to time incidents of collapsing old buildings, which sheds light on the dilemmas of urban expansion and building safety.
A State of Anticipation in Fez and Intensive Official Follow-up on Disaster Management
A state of sadness and anticipation prevails in the city of Fez, while field efforts continue to search for survivors, under intense official follow-up from local authorities and agencies concerned with disaster management.
