Peshawar school roof collapse kills 33, including 32 children

At least 33 people, including 32 students and a female teacher, were killed when the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar’s Afridi Abad area on Thursday. The children who died were between seven and 14 years old, turning the incident into one of the city’s most devastating school tragedies.

The roof collapse trapped students beneath the debris at Al-Khair School. Rescue teams rushed to the scene and launched an operation to search for survivors and recover those buried under the rubble. Authorities later confirmed that the rescue operation had been completed and all debris had been cleared.

According to Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim, 20 injured children were brought to the hospital. Most were discharged after receiving treatment, while three children with serious head injuries remained under medical care. An emergency was declared at the hospital following the incident.

Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir confirmed that no further injured children remained at the site after rescue workers completed their operation.

A rescue official said the ceiling collapsed after the roof of an upper floor gave way, bringing down parts of the two-storey building. Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed Ahmed said the structure was weak and the roof had been burdened by additional construction, which may have contributed to the collapse.

Parents rushed to the school after learning about the incident. One father, Samiullah, said he arrived shortly after receiving a phone call from home. He had feared that his son, who studied in a classroom beneath the collapsed floor, had died. However, the child had left the classroom to drink water and survived.

Governor orders safety audit of schools

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and sought a detailed report to establish the cause of the collapse. He also ordered a structural safety audit of educational institutions across the province to identify dangerous buildings and ensure that corrective measures are taken.

Kundi said the safety of children could not be compromised and called for the injured to receive the best possible medical care.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Department formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the incident. The committee was tasked with determining the causes of the collapse, identifying contributing factors and recommending measures to prevent similar tragedies.

The provincial police chief also directed senior police officials to oversee rescue efforts. Traffic police were instructed to establish a clear route for ambulances to ensure the uninterrupted transportation of injured children.

PM seeks report, school owner arrested

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took serious notice of the incident and sought a comprehensive report. He also spoke with Governor Kundi, who informed him that the school owner had been arrested and an investigation was under way.

The prime minister directed the authorities to examine all aspects of the tragedy and take legal action against those found responsible. He also ordered that the injured receive the best available treatment and that affected families be provided with assistance.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the loss of children was a tragedy for the entire country. He stressed that school safety must remain a priority and called for stronger safeguards to prevent such incidents.

President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed shock and grief, offering condolences to the bereaved families. He called for a thorough investigation and stressed the need to ensure that educational buildings comply with safety standards.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari also expressed condolences. Aseefa said schools should provide children with a safe environment and those responsible for protecting them must be held accountable.

Repeated roof collapses raise safety concerns

The Peshawar tragedy has renewed concerns about the condition of school buildings and construction standards in Pakistan. Roof and building collapses have repeatedly claimed lives, with incidents reported in several cities in recent months.

In July, three girls died when part of a government primary school’s outer wall collapsed near Umerkot. Another school building under construction collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area the same month, killing a child and injuring at least five people.

On June 30, 14 children were killed when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area. Earlier, four children died and 20 people were injured in a classroom roof collapse at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan.

The repeated incidents have intensified calls for inspections of educational buildings, stricter enforcement of construction regulations and accountability for those who neglect safety requirements. The investigation into the Peshawar collapse is expected to determine what caused the building to fail and whether negligence played a role.