Nine Killed in Deadly Building Collapse in Tripoli, Northern Lebanon
Multiple families trapped as unsafe structures continue to threaten lives in northern Lebanon
Tripoli | PUREWILAYAH.COM - A five-story residential building collapsed on Sunday in the al-Tabbaneh neighborhood of Tripoli, killing at least nine people and trapping several others beneath the rubble, Lebanese Civil Defense authorities confirmed.
Brigadier General Imad Khreish, Director General of Civil Defense, said rescue teams recovered nine bodies from the debris of the 12-apartment building, while eight residents were pulled out alive, including a child. Several individuals remain unaccounted for.
Rescue Efforts Continue as Survivors Pulled from Rubble
Emergency calls were made immediately after the collapse, prompting a large-scale response by Civil Defense units and emergency services. Rescue teams reported detecting the voice of a child believed to be alive under the rubble and successfully extracting him during ongoing search operations.
According to field reports, two families were inside the building at the time of the collapse. Heavy machinery and manual rescue efforts are continuing amid concerns that additional survivors may still be trapped.
The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health confirmed that all injured survivors will receive full medical treatment at state expense. Health Minister Dr. Rakan Nassereddine instructed emergency teams to maintain coordination with Civil Defense and relevant agencies to support rescue and medical operations.
The Ministry’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center stated it is closely monitoring the situation and overseeing debris removal and rescue efforts.
Widespread Structural Risk Across Lebanon
The deadly collapse highlights Lebanon’s deepening crisis of unsafe residential structures. Authorities estimate that more than 16,000 buildings across Lebanon are at risk of collapse due to prolonged Israeli aggression, unregulated construction, and seismic vulnerability.
In Tripoli alone, officials have identified approximately 4,000 buildings at risk, with at least 1,000 requiring immediate evacuation. High-risk areas include Bab al-Tabbaneh, al-Qubbeh, the Old Souk, Zahriyeh, Zahr el-Maghreb, Jabal Mohsen, and the Old Seraya’s Rue des Religieuses.
Previous Collapses Raise Alarm, Heightening Public Fears
The latest incident follows a similar tragedy on January 24, when two residential buildings collapsed in the al-Qubbeh district of Tripoli. The collapse, which occurred shortly after 3 a.m., involved a five-story building and an adjacent three-story structure.
Although municipal authorities had evacuated the buildings after cracks were reported, a family of five from the al-Mir family remained inside one apartment. While several family members were rescued, at least two were killed, reigniting public concern over delayed evacuations and deteriorating infrastructure.
Sunday’s collapse adds to mounting evidence of systemic neglect and infrastructural decay in Lebanon’s urban centers, particularly in economically marginalized neighborhoods.
With thousands of buildings deemed unsafe and limited state resources for enforcement and rehabilitation, residents continue to face daily risks inside their own homes. (PW)