In her book, A House in Fez, Suzanna Clarke makes mention of the dangers of ceilings collapsing during renovation and points out that this is often because of rotten beams giving way under the weight of rubble packed in the ceilings ( a traditional building practise).
However, the latest tragedy took place in a new two-storey residential building under construction in the Hay Oulad Waj district of Khenitra (40km North of Rabat) The collapse on Wednesday killed eighteen people and left at least twenty-six people injured. There may be more bodies under the rubble.Morocco's Interior Minister, Chakib Benmoussa, who led a government delegation to the site of the tragedy said investigations into the cause of the incident had already began and that punishment awaits any official who might be responsible for the fatal collapse.
Rescue workers hunt through the rubble (Photo AFP)Rescue workers have since began searching for survivors, but the government authorities said they could not establish the number of people trapped beneath the debris.
In a press briefing held on Thursday after the weekly Cabinet meeting the Prime Minister, Mr. Naciri said the government has deplored this "tragic" accident, and vowed to bring before justice those responsible. The government has also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
On Wednesday, King Mohammed VI pledged to take charge of the medical care costs of the injured. He also sent condolence messages to the families of the victims.
MEANWHILE IN FEZ
The latest incident followed the collapse of a prayer room ceiling in Fez, killing one person and seriously injuring another. All the victims were traditional craftsmen working on restoration.
Workers in Fez undertake the dangerous workof removing rubble from a damaged ceiling
The collapse of a new building in Fez has also been reported. This was blamed on builders failing to allow the building's cement to set long enough.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
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