Days after the tragedy that devastated Fez, resulting in the death of nine people and injuries to others, including women and children, following the collapse of a six-story residential building in the Al-Hassani neighborhood of Bendebab, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (Fez branch) called for an urgent and thorough investigation to identify those responsible and hold them accountable. The collapsed building housed around 13 families, and authorities had issued evacuation notices as far back as 2018. However, the lack of suitable housing alternatives forced residents to continue living in the building, despite its dilapidated condition, according to the association. The human rights group highlighted the negligence of local authorities and relevant departments, which, as the statement notes, only issued evacuation orders without offering viable solutions that took into account the residents' social circumstances. The association also warned of the potential for a similar disaster, as over 400 buildings in the same neighborhood are at risk of collapse. Many of these structures have additional floors added to inadequate foundations, with no genuine oversight or adherence to safety standards. «How is it possible for a building that was originally unable to support two floors to be expanded into a six-story structure, right under the nose of the authorities responsible for ensuring public safety and combating illegal construction?» asked the NGO. The association called for an urgent plan to relocate residents threatened by collapsing buildings and to address the root causes of uncontrolled urban growth, mainly internal migration from rural areas to the city amid worsening economic conditions.
