Peshawar: At least 28 children and a teacher were killed when the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, north-western Pakistan, on Thursday, October 15. More than 40 people were reported injured, while rescue workers searched the debris for survivors and police arrested the school’s owner as part of an investigation into the disaster.
The collapse occurred at the Al-Khair Education Centre in the city’s Dir Colony neighbourhood while classes were under way. The children killed were aged 13 or younger, according to Mohammad Asim, spokesperson for Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital.
Emergency services and local residents rushed to the site after receiving reports of the collapse. Rescue teams worked through the rubble to reach children and school staff who had been trapped when the structure gave way.
The incident has raised serious questions about the structural safety of the school building. Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed said the building was structurally weak, while authorities ordered an investigation to establish the precise circumstances of the collapse.
Children trapped beneath collapsed roof
The roof gave way during school hours, trapping students beneath the debris. Rescue workers found that the collapse had affected multiple levels of the building, leaving children and staff buried under broken concrete and other material.
Emergency personnel worked alongside local residents to remove the rubble and search for survivors. Rescuers used available equipment and manual methods to reach those trapped inside the damaged structure.
The operation was complicated by the school’s location in a congested neighbourhood. The narrow access routes made it difficult to bring heavy rescue machinery close to the building, according to reports from the scene.
Families gathered near the school and at Lady Reading Hospital, seeking information about children who had been attending classes when the roof collapsed.
Rescue officials said at least 45 children had been brought out during the operation, although the number of people initially accounted for remained uncertain. Authorities feared that additional casualties could emerge as the search progressed.
Hospitals treat injured students and staff
Lady Reading Hospital received casualties from the collapse and declared an emergency to manage the influx of injured people.
Hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim confirmed the deaths and said some of the injured were in critical condition. More than 40 people were reported injured in several updates, although the figures varied as information emerged from the rescue operation.
The victims were predominantly young children, with all the children reported killed or injured aged 13 or younger.
Medical teams continued treating the injured while rescue personnel worked at the school. Authorities have not provided a complete account of every victim’s condition in the reports cited.
School owner arrested
Police confirmed that the school’s owner had been arrested following the collapse.
The arrest came as authorities began examining the building’s structural condition and the possible reasons for its failure. Police chief Mian Saeed said the structure was weak, according to reports.
Investigators are expected to establish whether the building complied with relevant construction and safety requirements and whether structural defects contributed to the collapse.
The arrest does not by itself establish criminal responsibility. The investigation will need to determine how the roof failed and whether any negligence or violations of safety regulations occurred.
School officials had not provided a detailed public account of the incident in the reports available.
President Zardari and PM Sharif express grief
The deaths prompted condolences from Pakistan’s political leadership.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the loss of life and called for a comprehensive investigation into the collapse. He also stressed the importance of ensuring that school buildings meet safety standards to prevent similar incidents.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed sorrow and directed officials to ensure that the injured received medical care and that rescue and relief operations were expedited.
The statements came as families awaited information about those killed and injured, and emergency teams continued their work at the site.
Concerns over building safety in Pakistan
The Peshawar disaster has renewed concerns about the safety of buildings used by schools and other educational institutions in Pakistan.
Building collapses have been linked in previous incidents to weak construction, inadequate maintenance and shortcomings in the enforcement of safety standards. However, the precise cause of the Al-Khair Education Centre collapse remains under investigation.
Authorities will need to establish whether the building’s design, the condition of its structure or other factors contributed to the failure. The findings could help determine whether further action is required against those responsible for the building’s construction or maintenance.
The incident also highlights the risks faced by children in school buildings that may not be adequately equipped to withstand structural failures.
Rescue operation and investigation continue
The collapse at Al-Khair Education Centre has left 29 people dead, including 28 children and one teacher, while more than 40 others were reported injured. The school’s owner has been arrested, and investigators are examining the condition of the building and the circumstances that led to the collapse.
The immediate priorities are to ensure that all victims are accounted for, provide treatment to the injured and establish the cause of the disaster.
The investigation will also be important in determining whether safety requirements were followed and whether anyone should be held legally responsible.
For the families affected, the collapse has resulted in an enormous loss. The findings of the inquiry will be crucial in clarifying what happened and identifying measures needed to reduce the risk of similar tragedies.