At least 30 people, including 28 children and two female teachers, were killed when a private school roof collapsed in Peshawar on Thursday, Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) spokesperson Muhammad Asim said. More than 30 others were injured.
The hospital declared an emergency, with senior officials present in the trauma ward to supervise treatment. Some of the injured were in critical condition, Asim said.
“All the children were aged 13 or younger,” he added.
Rescue 1122 dispatched ambulances and disaster response vehicles to the scene. Rescue teams began searching the debris for survivors and transporting injured children to hospitals.
Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as the operation continued, with concerns that more people might remain trapped beneath the rubble.
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Pakistan Army personnel also reached the site and joined rescue and relief agencies in efforts to recover trapped children and school staff and evacuate the injured.
Rescue Operations Hampered by Narrow Streets
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed told the media that the school owner had been taken into custody and that a case would be registered in connection with the incident.
He said the three-storey building was located in the densely populated Dir Colony, where narrow streets had made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site and move emergency vehicles.
According to the police official, around 110 children were enrolled at the school, while 30 children had been present in classrooms on the upper floor when the roof collapsed.
Saeed said the building had several deficiencies and that investigators would examine the construction and determine whether building regulations had been violated.
He also raised concerns about the roof slab, which he said had been constructed using choka, a material involving thin, flat clay tiles or specially shaped bricks.
The official warned that the building remained dangerous and posed a risk of further damage. He said rescue teams were working to evacuate people from the area and urged the public to cooperate with emergency personnel.
Saeed also questioned whether the roof had been overloaded and said authorities would investigate the building’s structural condition, identify any regulatory breaches and determine responsibility for possible negligence.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and extended condolences to the families of those killed.
In a statement, the prime minister prayed for the deceased and asked that their families be granted patience and strength. He also prayed for the injured to recover quickly and directed authorities to provide them with the best possible medical treatment.
Shehbaz ordered officials to accelerate rescue operations and ensure that all available resources were used to assist those affected.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed grief over the deaths and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families.
“The loss of precious lives of innocent children is an extremely painful tragedy,” he said.
The governor prayed for the recovery of the injured and directed the relevant authorities to ensure access to appropriate medical facilities. He also sought a detailed report into the collapse and called for an investigation to establish its cause.
Police Chief Directs Traffic and Rescue Measures
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the incident and directed CCPO Mian Saeed to supervise rescue operations personally.
He ordered the immediate and safe recovery of anyone trapped beneath the debris. He also instructed the Peshawar Chief Traffic Officer to establish a green corridor to allow ambulances to reach hospitals without interruption.
The IGP directed police rescue teams and the SSP Operations to deploy all available resources. He also called for traffic to be kept moving along routes leading to hospitals to support the emergency response.
Police officials expressed solidarity with the affected families and prayed for the full recovery of the injured children and teachers.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Expresses Grief
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, saying he was shocked by the tragedy.
He conveyed his sympathies to parents who had lost their children and called on the administration to accelerate rescue operations and recover anyone still trapped under the rubble.
Bilawal also urged authorities to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured being treated at Lady Reading Hospital.
The collapse has raised serious questions about the safety of the school building and compliance with construction regulations. Authorities are expected to investigate the structure’s condition and determine the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
