Pakistan school tragedy: 20 students among 28 killed after roof collapses at Peshawar school
Videos and photographs shared on social media showed crowds gathered at the site as rescuers and local residents worked to remove the debris and reach those trapped inside.
PTC News Desk: At least 28 people, including 20 students aged between seven and 12 and a female teacher, were killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar’s Afridi Abad area on Thursday, Pakistan’s newspaper Dawn reported, citing a hospital spokesperson.
Another 21 people were injured, including five who are in critical condition, Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim told the newspaper. An emergency was declared at the hospital.
Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir said the roof of Al Khair School collapsed while students were attending classes. Rescue teams continued to clear the debris and search for people trapped under the rubble. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief over the deaths and sought a detailed report on the incident. He also directed officials to find out what caused the collapse.
Videos and photographs shared on social media showed crowds gathered at the site as rescuers and local residents worked to remove the debris and reach those trapped inside. Building and roof collapses are common in Pakistan, often due to poor safety standards and the use of low-quality construction materials.
In July, three girls aged between three and 13 were killed when part of the outer wall of a government primary school near Umerkot collapsed on them, Dawn reported. That same month, a child died and at least five others were injured when the roof of an under-construction private school collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area.
In June, 14 children were killed when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area. Less than two months earlier, four children died and 20 people were injured after a classroom roof collapsed at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan.