Five Killed in Building Collapse in Northern Lebanon’s Tripoli

At least five people were killed after an old residential building collapsed on Sunday in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, state media reported, marking the second such incident in the city within weeks.

According to the state-run National News Agency, the collapse occurred in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood, one of the poorest areas in Tripoli. Security forces evacuated nearby buildings as a precaution amid fears of further structural failures.

Rescue teams managed to pull eight people alive from the rubble, while five bodies were recovered, including those of a child and an elderly woman. Local reports cited varying death tolls as search and rescue operations continued.

Images shared by local media showed residents and civil defence teams attempting to clear debris using basic equipment and their bare hands.

Civil Defence Director Imad Khreish said the building consisted of two blocks with six apartments each, adding that residents estimated around 22 people were inside at the time of the collapse. He confirmed at least four fatalities.

Tripoli Mayor Abdel Hamid Karimeh later declared the city a “disaster-stricken area,” citing the widespread presence of unsafe buildings. He said that years of neglect had left thousands of residents at risk and warned that the situation exceeded the municipality’s capacity to manage.

The collapse follows another deadly building failure in Tripoli late last month. After that incident, the Higher Relief Authority said municipal data showed that at least 105 buildings required immediate evacuation warnings.

Local media reported that the building which collapsed on Sunday was not previously listed among structures deemed at imminent risk.

Lebanon is home to many deteriorating and illegally constructed buildings, particularly in Tripoli. Numerous structures date back to the civil war period from 1975 to 1990, with some owners adding extra floors without permits. Damage from the 2023 earthquake centred in Turkey and Syria further weakened buildings in the region.

President Joseph Aoun ordered all emergency services to mobilise to support rescue operations and provide shelter for displaced residents, according to a statement from his office. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the government was prepared to offer housing allowances to those forced to evacuate, describing the situation as a “humanitarian catastrophe” caused by years of accumulated neglect.

A recent report by Public Works Studio noted that several buildings in Tripoli partially or fully collapsed in January alone.