The roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, on Thursday, killing at least 28 students and one teacher and injuring dozens of others, a hospital spokesman confirmed.
The incident occurred at Al-Khair Education Centre, located in a congested neighborhood in central Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. All children killed or injured were aged 13 or younger, hospital spokesman Mohammad Asim said, adding that some of the injured were in critical condition.
Injury figures varied across reports, with sources citing more than 20 and more than 50 people wounded. Six girls were among the dead.
Lady Reading Hospital declared an emergency as medical staff treated the wounded. The school's owner was arrested, Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed said, adding that the building was structurally weak.
An injured teacher, Mahwish Zaman, speaking from a hospital bed, said the three-story school had an estimated 1,200 students enrolled from nursery through fifth grade. She said she was in her classroom when the roof collapsed and felt as if the sky had fallen. She regained consciousness in the hospital.
Another source put enrollment at approximately 350 registered students.
Rescue efforts were complicated by the school's location in a densely built-up area. Heavy machinery could not reach the site, forcing rescue teams and local residents to use buckets and other basic tools to remove debris and reach those buried beneath it.
A resident, Samiullah Khan, said he rushed to the school after learning of the collapse and helped rescue three girls. He said his son, who attends the school, survived because he had stepped out of his classroom to drink water.
Hours after the collapse, rescue officials said all those trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews were clearing debris.
The cause of the collapse was under investigation. The provincial government said a committee had been formed to determine what caused the roof to give way. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed sorrow and directed officials to provide the best possible medical care to the injured children.
Provincial government spokeswoman Samar Haroon Bilour said the government was using all available resources to assist those affected and praised rescue workers for their swift response.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both expressed sorrow over the deaths and offered condolences to bereaved families in separate statements.
"The entire nation shares the grief of the affected families in this hour of sorrow," Zardari said. He also called for a comprehensive investigation and stressed the need to ensure school buildings meet safety standards to prevent similar tragedies.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said the government had taken serious note of the situation.
"Our children are our most precious asset, and every such loss is a tragedy for the entire country. My heartfelt condolences and prayers are with the bereaved families," Dar said. "The prime minister and the government have taken serious note of the situation. Ensuring the safety and protection of our children must remain paramount," he added.
Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced. Many structures are built with substandard materials, and safety regulations are frequently ignored to reduce costs. In July, a roof collapsed at a tutoring center under construction in Lahore, killing four schoolchildren.
