Two buildings collapsed in Lebanon's Tripoli on February 8, 2026, in the impoverished Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood, killing 14 people and injuring others. Civil defense teams, alongside the Lebanese Red Cross and local residents, concluded rescue operations on February 10 after recovering 14 bodies and saving eight survivors from the rubble of two six-apartment structures that housed around 22 people. A fire initially complicated efforts, leading to the evacuation of nearby at-risk buildings.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pledged housing allowances and temporary shelters for displaced families, calling on politicians to avoid politicizing the tragedy. President Joseph Aoun placed emergency services on high alert nationwide. Justice Minister Adel Nassar initiated a prosecutorial investigation, while Tripoli Mayor Abdel Hamid Karimeh declared the city a "disaster-stricken zone," warning that thousands remain endangered in unsafe structures—105 previously identified for urgent evacuation.
This marks the second fatal collapse in Tripoli within weeks and the fourth in Lebanon during early 2026, stemming from decades of war damage, corruption, and neglect. Furious residents vandalized political offices in protest. Amnesty International demanded reparations and systemic reforms, as authorities plan to evacuate 114 high-risk buildings within 30 days and reinforce others.
