At least 30 children dead in Pakistan school roof collapse

At least 29 children and a teacher were killed when the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday. More than 40 people were injured in the incident, , news agency PTI reported, citing police.

The collapse occurred at a school in Dir Colony, in Peshawar’s inner-city area, Capital City Police chief Mian Saeed said. Police have arrested the owner of the three-storey school, who was operating the institution as an education trust. Saeed said the roof was poorly constructed.

The school had 110 children enrolled, and 30 students were in classrooms on the upper floor when the roof gave way, he said.

District emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said more children were believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. Rescue teams were working to recover bodies and evacuate the injured, government official Bilal Faizi said.

Children aged 13 or younger among the dead

The deceased and injured were taken to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim said. An emergency was declared at the facility to ensure prompt treatment for the injured.

Asim confirmed that all the children killed in the collapse were aged 13 or younger, highlighting the toll on young students.

Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir ordered an investigation into the incident to establish the circumstances behind the collapse.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the bereaved families. He directed authorities to ensure that the injured received the best possible medical care.

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed grief over the incident.