Salam visits Tripoli after building collapse, trapped woman found after 2 days

BEIRUT — Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Tripoli, northern Lebanon’s largest city after Beirut, on Monday to inspect the site where a five-story building collapsed Friday in the Qobbeih district.

He met with survivors and rescue teams before a scheduled ministerial meeting at the Grand Serail to address at-risk buildings.

During the morning, Civil Defense teams located a young woman, Elissar, who had been trapped under the rubble for two days, according to our correspondent in northern Lebanon.

Using a specialized search camera, rescuers found her about 40 cm from their reach, though her condition remains unknown. Rescue teams warned that several more hours may be needed to navigate concrete debris and reach her safely.

Previously in the search for Elissar

Tributes pour in as funerals held for 2 victims of Qobbeh building collapse

The collapse has already claimed one life: Ahmad Abdelhamid al-Mir, 66, Elissar’s father. Her mother, Amal, and brother, Omar, were rescued and are receiving treatment in local hospitals.

Salam also met with Tripoli’s municipal chief Abdel Hamid Karimeh, interim North Lebanon governor Imane Rifai, and Secretary-General of the High Relief Committee Bassam Naboulsi to prepare for the noon ministerial meeting on at-risk buildings.

He later visited Mazloum Hospital to check on Omar al-Mir and Al-Nini Hospital to offer condolences to Amal al-Mir.

“Tripoli is not alone. I wanted to inspect the site personally before the meeting at the Grand Serail to find a comprehensive solution for damaged buildings,” Salam said.

He visited the collapse site in Qobbeih, met rescue teams, and was briefed by Tripoli Civil Defense chief Wassef Karimeh on procedures and updates. Salam also spoke by phone with Civil Defense director Brig. Gen. Imad Koreish, who noted that searches are being carried out “by hand” to maximize the young woman’s chances of survival.

The tragedy highlights the severe risks posed by dilapidated infrastructure in Tripoli, Lebanon’s poorest major city. Many buildings were constructed without proper safety standards. A municipal survey identified between 600 and 1,000 structures at risk of collapse, with several already falling this year.

MP Faysal Karameh said Monday that over 600 buildings are on the brink of collapse, including around 100 in extremely dangerous conditions with residents having no alternatives. He added that he has worked with the municipal authorities to identify priorities, secure funding, and start restoration or reconstruction projects, including relocating residents where necessary.

The High Relief Committee previously reported that at least 105 buildings in Tripoli needed evacuation for safety reasons. Sunni MP Ashraf Rifi warned two weeks ago that at least 500 buildings were at risk, calling on the government to act.

The National Association of Rental Property Owners in Lebanon condemned the collapse, saying it “is not an accident but the direct result of chronic neglect and inadequate enforcement of regulations.”

They noted that outdated rent systems prevent proper maintenance, leaving owners unable to ensure structural safety.

The General Confederation of Workers in Lebanon (CGTL) urged the government to dedicate all available material, human, technical, and security resources to renovate Tripoli’s deteriorating buildings and safeguard lives.

The CGTL added, “What happened in Tripoli is not an ordinary or isolated incident but the culmination of decades of negligence.”

During a meeting at the Grand Serail on Tripoli’s at-risk buildings, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was joined by Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh, Tripoli MPs Ashraf Rifi, Ihab Matar, Karim Kabbara, Taha Naji, Elie Khoury, Jamil Abboud, and Haidar Nasser, as well as the mayors of Tripoli and Mina, the head of the Tripoli Engineers Syndicate Shawki Fatfat, and Bassam Naboulsi, Secretary-General of the High Relief Committee.

Following the meeting, MP Achraf Rifi announced plans to construct 700–1,000 new housing units to address Tripoli’s crumbling buildings. “We have set up a crisis unit and will begin construction immediately. Around 700 homes are at risk of collapse in the coming years,” Rifi said.

He added that the government has pledged unlimited funding to cover all reinforcement and construction needs, including temporary housing and housing allowances for affected residents. Currently, 105 buildings are considered threatened. The planned residential complex will provide dignified housing for citizens, Rifi said.

Rifi also noted that the Engineers Syndicate will assist with inspections, and stressed that the government, local municipalities, and the diaspora, along with Arab partners, will collaborate to build residential cities capable of hosting around 1,000 families, helping them regain stability and dignity.

Reporting by our regional correspondent Michel Hallak.