A roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar, Pakistan, killed at least 28 children and a teacher, injuring more than 50 others. Authorities arrested the school's owner, citing structural weakness.
The roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Thursday, killing at least 28 children and a teacher and injuring more than 50 other people, according to authorities and a hospital official. The incident occurred at Al-Khair Education Centre, a three-story building in a congested neighborhood in central Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Mohammad Asim, a spokesman for Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed that all children killed or injured were age 13 or younger. He stated that some of the injured were in critical condition and that the hospital declared an emergency to treat the wounded. Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the emergency services, reported that several children were initially trapped under the rubble. Hours after the collapse, rescue officials said everyone trapped had been pulled out and crews were clearing debris.
Mahwish Zaman, an injured teacher, told The Associated Press that the school had an estimated 1,200 students enrolled in nursery through fifth grade. She said she was in her classroom when the roof collapsed and "felt as if the sky had fallen." She regained consciousness in the hospital.
Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed said the school’s owner had been arrested. Ahmed stated that the building was structurally weak. The provincial government formed a committee to investigate the cause of the collapse. Samar Haroon Bilour, the provincial government spokeswoman, said the government directed hospital officials to provide prompt medical care and praised rescue workers for their swift response.
Witnesses reported that residents were among the first to reach the school. Samiullah Khan, a resident, said he helped rescue three girls and that his son survived because he had stepped out of his classroom to drink water. Zahir Hussain, another resident, told CBS News that the building appeared "not suitable" for use as a school and that the street was extremely narrow, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site quickly.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gov. Faisal Karim Kundi expressed sorrow over the collapse and sought a report from relevant authorities about the cause. He directed officials to provide the best possible medical care to the injured children.
In Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow and offered condolences. Zardari said, "The entire nation shares the grief of the affected families in this hour of sorrow," and called for a comprehensive investigation into the collapse. He stressed the need to ensure school buildings meet safety standards to prevent similar tragedies.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said in a post on X that "Our children are our most precious asset, and every such loss is a tragedy for the entire country." He added that the government had taken serious note of the situation and that ensuring the safety of children must remain paramount.
Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced. Many structures are built with substandard materials, and safety regulations are frequently ignored to reduce costs. In July, a roof collapsed at a tutoring center under construction in Lahore, killing four schoolchildren.
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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