22 Dead After Twin Buildings Collapse Without Warning

In the dark of night, two neighboring apartment blocks in the Moroccan city of Fez crumbled like sandcastles—collapsing onto each other in seconds and trapping entire families beneath the debris.

Officials confirmed at least 22 people are dead and 16 more injured after the buildings gave way in the Al-Moustakbal district just before midnight Wednesday. The area, a densely packed neighborhood in one of Morocco’s oldest cities, quickly turned into a disaster zone.

“When we heard the noise, it was like thunder,” said one local resident, Idris, who witnessed the collapse. “We ran outside and saw the buildings fall one after the other. It only took two minutes.”

Another man told Moroccan television outlet Medi1 that he lost his wife and three children in the disaster. “I’m just waiting for them to bring out the bodies,” he said quietly, his voice breaking.

An elderly woman described the terrifying moment the structure began to give way. “My son who lives upstairs shouted that the building was coming down,” she told SNRT News. “When we ran outside, we saw it collapsing before our eyes.”

Rescue workers and firefighters used heavy machinery to clear the rubble through the early hours of Thursday. Officials say the death toll could rise as more victims may still be trapped beneath concrete and steel.

Emergency crews evacuated nearby buildings and cordoned off the area, fearing further collapses. Those injured have been taken to the University Hospital Centre in Fez, according to state news agency MAP.

Local reports suggest that cracks had been visible for weeks in the two buildings, which were built side by side. Residents say warnings went unheeded. “People shouldn’t keep building and encroaching on the next building,” said a man identified only as Abdelali to the local outlet Hespress, via the BBC.

One of the buildings was reportedly vacant, but the other housed eight families. Officials say the structures “collapsed onto each other,” suggesting that instability in one may have triggered the other’s fall.

The Fez public prosecutor has launched a formal investigation into the cause of the collapse. Officials from Morocco’s Ministry of Interior said in a brief statement that “preventative measures” have been implemented, including the evacuation of nearby residents.

Fez, often called the spiritual heart of Morocco, is known for its centuries-old architecture and tightly packed homes. Many of its districts mix modern apartment blocks with aging traditional housing, where structural safety is often in question.

As dawn broke over the city, dozens of residents gathered silently behind police barriers, watching as rescue crews continued to dig. For many, the sound of collapsing stone will haunt them for years.

“This neighborhood will never forget tonight,” said one local. “It felt like the whole city was crying.”

Sources: Reuters, BBC, France24, MAP, SNRT News, Hespress.