Roof Collapses at School in Pakistan: 20 Children Among 21 Killed in Peshawar
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
At least 21 people, including 20 students aged seven to 12 and a female teacher, were killed after a private school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Thursday.
Another 21 people were injured in the incident at Al Khair School in the Afridi Abad locality, with five in critical condition, Dawn reported, citing a hospital spokesperson.
Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim confirmed the casualties. The hospital declared an emergency to deal with the injured.
Rescue Operations Underway
The roof collapsed while students were inside their classrooms, Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir told Dawn.
Rescue personnel continued to clear the debris and search for people trapped beneath the rubble. The number of casualties could change as the operation progresses.
Videos and photographs shared on social media showed crowds gathered outside the damaged school as rescuers and local residents worked to reach those trapped inside the building.
Governor Seeks Report Into Collapse
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief over the deaths and sought a detailed report on the incident.
He directed the authorities to investigate the cause of the collapse. Further details about the circumstances leading to the incident were awaited.
Series of Roof Collapses Reported Across Pakistan
The latest tragedy comes amid several reported roof and building collapses across Pakistan in recent months, including incidents that killed children and injured families.
In August, a couple were killed and their daughters injured after the roof of their house collapsed in Islamabad following three days of heavy rainfall, Dawn reported.
Earlier, in June, 14 children were killed when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in the Kahna area of Lahore.
Less than two months before that incident, four children were killed and 20 people injured after the roof of a classroom at a private school collapsed in Dera Ghazi Khan, in Punjab province, according to Dawn.
In a separate incident in June, a labourer was killed and three others injured when the roof of an under-construction building collapsed in Khawaspur locality of Gujrat, also in Punjab province.
The repeated incidents have drawn attention to the risks posed by building collapses at homes, schools and construction sites across the country.
