Tragic School Roof Collapse in Peshawar Claims Lives

A tragic incident occurred in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday when the roof of a private school collapsed, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 children and a female teacher. The collapse injured more than 50 people, according to a hospital spokesman. Rescuers worked frantically to find those trapped under the debris. Six of the deceased were girls.

Emergency services spokesman Bilal Faizi reported that several children remained trapped under the rubble in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Mohammad Asim, a hospital spokesman, confirmed the casualties and noted that some of the injured were in critical condition. All the affected children were 13 years of age or younger.

An emergency was declared at the hospital as medical staff treated the wounded. After several hours, officials declared that everyone trapped had been rescued and debris was being cleared. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed his sorrow and demanded a report on the incident’s cause. He instructed officials to ensure the best medical care for the injured.

Mahwish Zaman, a teacher injured in the collapse, said the school enrolled approximately 1,200 students up to fifth grade. Speaking from her hospital bed, she recalled the moment the roof collapsed, describing it as feeling like the sky had fallen. She regained consciousness at the hospital.

Rescue efforts were conducted by workers and volunteers from the community. According to witnesses, residents were the first on the scene, located in a crowded neighborhood in central Peshawar. Samiullah Khan, a resident, assisted in rescuing three girls. His son, who attends the school, survived by stepping out of his classroom for water at the time of the collapse.

Mohammad Khan, another resident, described the careful efforts to remove debris to reach those trapped. Parents anxiously gathered outside the school and the nearby Lady Reading Hospital, seeking information about their children amidst the chaos.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation. Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed stated that the school’s owner had been arrested due to the building’s structural weakness. A provincial government committee is investigating the collapse’s cause. Government spokeswoman Samar Haroon Bilour praised the fast response of rescue workers and confirmed that the government is using all resources to ensure the safety of those trapped.

In Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their condolences to the bereaved families. Zardari called for a comprehensive investigation and emphasized enforcing safety standards in school buildings to prevent future tragedies.

In July, a similar incident occurred in Lahore with a roof collapse at a tutoring center under construction, killing four schoolchildren. Such collapses are common in Pakistan due to poorly enforced construction standards and the use of substandard materials to cut costs.