Marrakech – As Morocco mourns the deadly collapse of a residential building in Fez on Thursday morning that killed at least nine people, the country’s National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) has called for a judicial investigation and a comprehensive national strategy to address recurring building collapses.
The four-story building, constructed in the 1980s, collapsed overnight in a densely populated neighborhood. Six people were pulled from the rubble by midday, according to Al Aoula state television. Several others sustained injuries of varying severity and were transferred to local hospitals.
The CNDH deployed a team from its Fez-Meknes regional commission to monitor the aftermath and conduct an on-site investigation. In a statement released Thursday, the council warned that the “recurrence of residential building collapses constitutes a direct violation of the right to adequate housing as defined by international standards.”
The rights body demanded the opening of a “judicial investigation into this painful incident” and the publication of its findings, with “accountability assigned” in line with the principle of linking responsibility to oversight. It pressed for a national strategy built on “proactivity, regular and strict monitoring, and the development of early warning mechanisms.”
The CNDH also called for “strengthened institutional coordination” among relevant government sectors, territorial administrations, and elected councils, within a framework that places “the right to adequate housing and the safety of citizens at the heart of public programs and policies.” It insisted on the “strict enforcement” of urban planning legislation, particularly mandatory building permits tied to “rigorous technical oversight and quality architectural design.”
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The council further urged the establishment of a “permanent joint mechanism for rapid intervention” upon detection of “cracks or structural defects,” enabling “preemptive action before incidents occur” to protect lives and ensure “urban safety.”
The CNDH referenced its December 2025 communiqué, issued after the collapse of two residential buildings in the Massira district of Fez’s Benssouda area. That incident killed at least 22 people.
The Fez Appeals Court prosecutor general announced Thursday that the public prosecution had ordered a “thorough and precise judicial investigation” to uncover the causes, circumstances, and potential responsibilities linked to the collapse. The prosecution pledged “strict enforcement of the law” and “firm action” against anyone found responsible, with legal consequences to follow upon completion of the investigation.
Residents of adjacent buildings were evacuated as a precaution against further collapses, with authorities reinforcing neighboring structures as a preventive measure. The CNDH noted the presence of civil protection services, local authorities, national security forces, auxiliary forces, and local volunteers at the site.
Fez, a former capital dating back to the eighth century and Morocco’s third-most-populous city, has witnessed multiple such incidents in recent months. In 2010, the collapse of a minaret in the nearby city of Meknes killed 41 people.
Housing Secretary of State Adib Benbrahim noted last year that approximately 38,800 buildings across Morocco had been classified as at risk of collapse.
