Fifteen people died in the collapse of two residential buildings in northern Lebanon's city of Tripoli. Eight others were rescued alive, Civil Defence director general Imad Khreiss said. The two adjoining buildings housed 22 residents, but officials warn more could still be missing. Social media showed the buildings falling almost at the same time, with one side giving way first at lower floors. This collapse is the fifth in Tripoli this winter alone, raising fears about old, poorly maintained buildings there. Thick dust and debris covered the street as the buildings crumbled. Large crowds gathered at the site where the structures had stood. Tripoli’s mayor, Abdel Hamid Karimeh, said the city had suffered long-term neglect. "Thousands of our people in Tripoli are threatened due to years of neglect," he said. He called the situation "beyond the capabilities of the Tripoli municipality" and resigned, calling Tripoli "disaster-stricken." President Joseph Aoun said he was "monitoring developments" and urged rescue workers nationwide to help. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called it a "humanitarian catastrophe" and promised government help. "The government is fully prepared to provide accommodation for all residents of buildings that need to be evacuated," he said. He blamed the disaster on "years of accumulated neglect." The collapse occurred days after residents left a nearby building showing cracks, and two weeks after another deadly collapse killed a father and daughter. Tripoli is Lebanon's second largest city and faces repeated building failures amid economic crisis, lack of maintenance, and weak regulations. Last month, the head of the Higher Relief Authority said over 100 buildings in Tripoli needed evacuation warnings. Many buildings were built illegally during Lebanon's civil war or expanded without proper checks. The national syndicate for property owners blamed "blatant negligence and shortcomings of the Lebanese state toward the safety of citizens." It demanded a nationwide building risk assessment.