Twenty-seven pupils and a teacher were killed on Thursday after a roof collapsed at a school in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, while more than 30 others were injured, according to hospital officials.
Asim Khan of Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital confirmed the death toll to AFP, adding that six of the injured were believed to be in critical condition.
A spokesman for the emergency rescue service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said several schoolchildren were crushed and trapped when the roof gave way.
“When the Rescue 1122 emergency response teams arrived at the scene, they found that one roof had collapsed onto another, causing the classroom below to be crushed and trapping children inside,” spokesman Bilal Ahmad Faizi said.
“There are concerns that more children may still be trapped beneath the rubble,” he added, noting that 16 ambulances, two disaster response vehicles and more than 60 rescue personnel had been deployed to the scene.
Images released by emergency services showed rescue workers wearing high-visibility vests scrambling to clear debris, rubble and dirt in search of survivors. AFP journalists reported seeing dozens of people gathered at the scene as rescue operations continued.
Local resident Sher Ahmed blamed what he described as “substandard construction materials” for the tragedy and called for a thorough investigation.
“With profound grief and sorrow, I urge the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and take strict action against anyone found responsible so that such tragedies can be prevented in the future,” he said.
Leaders express condolence
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed “deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives” following the incident.
“The Prime Minister extends his condolences to the bereaved families and prays for them to have the strength and patience to bear this irreparable loss,” a statement from his office said.
President Asif Ali Zardari also described the collapse as a “heartbreaking tragedy,” expressing solidarity with the victims’ families.
“In this hour of grief, the entire nation shares the sorrow of the affected families,” he said in a statement.
Building collapses raise safety concerns
Building and roof collapses remain a recurring problem in Pakistan, where poor enforcement of safety standards and the use of substandard construction materials have contributed to deadly structural failures.
In June this year, more than a dozen children were killed when the roof of a tutoring centre collapsed in the eastern city of Lahore.
In 2025, 27 people died and 10 others were injured when a five-storey building collapsed in Lyari, a low-income neighbourhood in the southern port city of Karachi.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over building safety and the need for stricter enforcement of construction standards to prevent further loss of life.
AFP
