Lebanese authorities have confirmed that 14 people were killed in a Tripoli building collapse in north Lebanon, marking the final toll after rescue operations concluded on Monday. The Tripoli building collapse occurred in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood, one of the city’s poorest areas, and is the second such incident in less than a month.
The tragedy has renewed attention on the widespread presence of unsafe residential buildings in Tripoli, where aging infrastructure and years of neglect continue to pose serious risks to residents.
Incident Details and Rescue Operations
The building collapsed on Sunday afternoon. It was an old structure consisting of two connected sections, each containing six apartments. At the time of the collapse, 22 residents were inside the building, according to Lebanese Civil Defense officials.
Civil Defense Director General Imad Khreish told reporters at the site that search and rescue operations had effectively ended. He confirmed that eight residents were rescued alive, while 14 people were killed. Rescue teams and emergency responders worked throughout the night to search for victims trapped under the rubble.
Evacuation of Nearby Buildings
Following the collapse, local authorities evacuated adjacent buildings as a precautionary measure, citing fears of further structural failures. Security forces and emergency services cordoned off the area to facilitate rescue work and protect residents from additional danger.
Official Response and Legal Action
Tripoli Mayor Abdel Hamid Karameh declared the city a disaster zone, pointing to the large number of buildings at risk of collapse. He said the scale of the problem exceeds the municipality’s capabilities and called on the Lebanese government to assume full responsibility for addressing the crisis.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced a broad meeting at the Grand Serail, bringing together relevant ministers, security agencies, the Tripoli mayor, and the head of the Engineers Syndicate in North Lebanon. The meeting aims to follow up on measures needed to confront the issue of structurally unsound buildings.
Salam stressed the government’s full readiness to deal with the consequences of the Tripoli building collapse. He said all state resources would be mobilized for relief, shelter, and risk mitigation. He also ordered the Higher Relief Committee and the Prime Minister’s disaster management unit to immediately deploy to Tripoli to coordinate assistance.
Investigation Ordered
Justice Minister Adel Nassar instructed the public prosecutor to open immediate investigations into the circumstances of the collapse, determine responsibility, and take the necessary legal measures to ensure accountability.
Ongoing Crisis of Unsafe Buildings
This incident follows another building collapse in Tripoli late last month that killed two people. Authorities had previously stated that 105 buildings, according to a Tripoli municipality survey, require immediate warnings to residents for evacuation due to safety concerns.
Across Tripoli and other parts of Lebanon, many residential buildings remain occupied despite being structurally unsound or at risk of collapse. Numerous structures were built illegally, particularly during the civil war from 1975 to 1990, or had additional floors added without proper permits or engineering oversight.
Rights Groups Warnings
In 2024, Amnesty International urged Lebanese authorities to conduct an urgent nationwide field survey to assess building safety. The organization specifically warned about conditions in Tripoli, where thousands of people live in unsafe buildings. These warnings followed the February 2023 earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria and caused damage to several buildings in Lebanon.
Conclusion:
The Tripoli building collapse has once again highlighted Lebanon’s deepening infrastructure crisis, especially in the north. As investigations proceed, pressure is mounting on authorities to implement lasting solutions to prevent further loss of life from unsafe housing conditions.
