At least 33 pupils and a teacher were killed after a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan. The school owner has been arrested, and authorities are investigating building code violations.
At least 33 pupils and a teacher have been killed after a school roof collapsed in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, according to hospital officials. The incident occurred on Thursday at the private Al-Khair school in Dir Colony, where emergency services were called at 08:48 (03:48 GMT) after lessons had begun.
Rescue official Bilal Faizi stated that the roof of an upper-floor classroom collapsed, causing ceilings below to cave in and trap children beneath the debris. The school building had been constructed on a temporary basis, according to emergency official Arif Khattak. While earlier reports suggested the destroyed classrooms were in a two-storey part of the building, Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed later confirmed that classrooms on three floors had been brought down.
Lady Reading Hospital reported the deaths of 32 children and a teacher, while Naseerullah Khan Babar Memorial Hospital reported one child dead. Mohammad Asim, a spokesman for Lady Reading Hospital, said the fatalities include 12 girls and a female teacher. Most of the children killed or injured were between six and 12 years old, with the oldest being 14. At least 45 children suffered injuries, ranging from minor wounds to severe trauma, said Arif Khattak.
An English teacher from a nearby school, who rushed to the site with other residents, said he pulled six children from the rubble. "I personally pulled out six children with my own hands. Most of them were alive and talking. But later it was found that they had passed away," he said.
Police chief Mian Saeed announced the arrest of the school's owner, Mohammad Khan. Saeed promised a thorough inquiry into "whether there were any violations of building codes". He stated that the entire structure, which had "substandard" roof slabs, was "overloaded" and beyond the limit of how much weight it could bear.
Following his arrest, the owner blamed this week’s rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police. The provincial government said a committee had been formed to investigate the cause of the roof collapse. The school is located on a very narrow street, which made it difficult for rescue workers to reach the site and transport the injured to hospitals.
The Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, ordered a safety audit of all schools in the province to "identify potential risks and ensure that immediate corrective measures are taken wherever necessary". "We cannot allow the safety of our children to be compromised," he said.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the deaths and offered condolences to the bereaved families. "The entire nation shares the grief of the affected families in this hour of sorrow," Zardari said.
This tragedy highlights ongoing concerns about building safety and code enforcement in Pakistan. In June, fourteen children died after the roof of a private tuition centre near Lahore collapsed. In August, 14 newborn babies were killed by a fire at a hospital in Islamabad, which an inquiry found lacked fire alarms and sprinklers. Furious family members of deceased pupils have accused the school of ignoring safety concerns. "Make an example of them, a lesson for all," said Mohammad Zaman, a man who lost two nephews in the disaster.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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