PESHAWAR, Pakistan – At least 27 children and a teacher have been killed after the roof of a two-storey school collapsed in Peshawar, northern Pakistan, on Thursday morning, with dozens more injured as rescue teams searched for survivors in the rubble.
Heavy rainfall is believed to have caused the collapse, according to Bilal Ahmed of the local rescue services, who said that some children remained trapped beneath the debris as rescuers worked to reach them.
Asim Khan, spokesperson for Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital, said 47 children were injured in the incident. Video from the scene showed ambulances rushing through narrow streets as crowds gathered outside the damaged school building.
The updated toll of 28 dead marks a rise from earlier reports that put the number of fatalities at 19, including 18 pupils and a teacher. Rescue operations and medical assistance were continuing as authorities worked to establish the full circumstances of the disaster.
Pakistani Leaders Call For Investigation
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed shock and grief over the deaths and injuries, describing the incident as a “heart-wrenching tragedy” in a statement shared by his office on X.
He extended condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the recovery of the injured and called for a comprehensive investigation into the collapse. He also stressed the need to ensure school buildings meet safety standards.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also mourned the victims and called for the injured to receive the necessary medical assistance. Meanwhile, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi requested a detailed report from the relevant authorities.
School Disaster Follows Deadly Hospital Fire
The collapse comes weeks after a fire tore through a hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, killing at least 14 newborn babies and triggering public anger and multiple arrests.
The fire was confined to a third-floor nursery, but officials said it spread so quickly that staff managed to rescue only one baby from the 15 being cared for there.
An inquiry found that the nursery had no fire alarm or sprinkler system. It also identified shortcomings in the hospital’s emergency procedures and staff training for fires and other crises.
The two incidents have drawn attention to safety standards in public facilities and the need for effective emergency preparedness.
