Twenty-eight children and a female teacher have died after the roof of Al Khair School collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, according to a spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). The children were aged between seven and 12. At least 21 people were injured, including five who remain in critical condition. Hospital authorities declared an emergency as rescue teams worked to remove debris and search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble. The incident occurred while pupils were inside their classrooms.
Children Trapped
Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir said the school’s roof collapsed while students were attending classes. According to a statement issued by his office, rescue operations were under way to evacuate those trapped inside, with emergency workers clearing the debris.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, initially said around 20 people, including students and teachers, had been taken to hospital. Citing LRH at the time, he reported four deaths, before the toll subsequently rose significantly.
The incident has prompted concern among local authorities, as emergency services continue their response to the tragedy.
Governor Seeks Answers
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief over the deaths and requested a detailed report on the incident. He directed officials to investigate the cause of the collapse and ensure that injured children received the best possible medical treatment.
“The loss of innocent children’s lives is an extremely painful tragedy,” he said, extending his condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Parent Samiullah, who rushed to the school after receiving a telephone call at around 8.50am, told Pakistani newspaper Dawn that he arrived at the scene approximately 10 minutes later.
He said he had rescued three girls aged under eight. Samiullah, whose six children attend the school, initially feared his son had died because he studied on the ground floor beneath the collapsed upper level. However, the boy had left his classroom to drink water and escaped the collapse.
Safety Concerns
Building collapses are a recurring problem in Pakistan, often attributed to inadequate safety standards and the use of substandard construction materials.
In July, three girls aged between three and 13 died when part of the outer wall of a government primary school collapsed near Umerkot.
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