The collapse of a building in the Al-Qubba area of Tripoli has brought to the forefront the issue of building safety in Lebanon, as many old structures still pose a danger to their residents. This incident highlighted the urgent need to take preventive measures and conduct a careful review of engineering files before disasters occur, rather than simply dealing with crises after they occur. In this context, the Chtaura Municipality adopted a proactive approach to prevention and follow-up of damaged buildings.
The mayor of Chtaura, Michel Mutran, explained that the municipality took the initiative, following the Tripoli incident, to take the necessary measures, noting that “all inspections conducted on buildings in previous years were re-reviewed, especially those against which observations were recorded and work on them was not followed up.”
He continued: “It was found that there was an old inspection that included two buildings, but it was not completed despite the issuance of directives from the governorate and civil society on the necessity of conducting an expanded inspection. After scrutiny, it became clear that no additional inspections had been carried out, and the file remained suspended as it is.”
Mutran added: “I followed this file directly, and I immediately took the initiative to request that warnings be issued against the two buildings in question, and to begin technical investigation procedures, including examining the foundations, columns, and all structural elements, in addition to forming a specialized inspection committee, with the aim of evaluating the foundations, soil, and other relevant engineering aspects.”
He stressed that the municipality is waiting for the results of the expanded report, explaining that “the preliminary examination that was completed previously indicated the presence of cracks, but it was not sufficient from an engineering standpoint to make a decision to evacuate, so we decided to expand the examinations to issue an accurate and reliable final report.”
Regarding the current status of the building, Mutran indicated, “The building has not been evacuated at this stage. Rather, an eviction warning was issued based on the initial report proving the presence of cracks. However, residents cannot be forcibly evacuated before the final report is issued, especially since the building has been inhabited for decades. For our part, we did what our municipal duty required of us, without abandoning the file without warning or follow-up.”
Regarding the presence of other threatened buildings in Chtaura, Mutran explained: “Until now, there are no dangerous indicators that require concern, and we cannot unleash a state of panic or take harsh measures against buildings without clear data. Dealing must be based on technical signals and reliable data, and when there is doubt about the safety of any building, it must be carefully inspected.”
He concluded his speech by saying: “What the Chtaura municipality did is an example of proactive action to avoid any disaster. These measures may be annoying at the beginning for some residents, but they remain less costly and dangerous than a disaster whose consequences cannot be remedied later. Therefore, we prefer prevention and law enforcement instead of waiting until the tragedy occurs.”
