Peshawar School Roof Collapse Kills 28 Children and Two Teachers

At least 28 children and two female teachers were killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar’s Dir Colony on Thursday. More than 50 other people were injured as rescue workers searched the debris for anyone who may still have been trapped.

Hospital officials said the dead and injured were taken to medical facilities in the city, where emergency arrangements were put in place. Some of those receiving treatment were reported to be in critical condition, while dozens of children were discharged after initial care.

The children who died were aged 13 or younger, according to a hospital spokesperson. Rescue teams sent ambulances and disaster-response vehicles to the site, while personnel worked in the densely populated neighbourhood to remove rubble and transport victims.

Police said the school owner had been taken into custody and that a case would be registered. A senior city police official said the building appeared to have construction deficiencies, while the narrow streets around the three-storey structure complicated the rescue operation.

The official said 110 children were enrolled at the school and that 30 had been in classrooms on the upper floor when the roof fell. Authorities said they would investigate possible violations of building rules and determine responsibility for any negligence connected to the collapse.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the deaths and directed authorities to speed up rescue work and ensure the best available treatment for those injured. The provincial governor, police chief and other political leaders also called for support for the affected families and a detailed inquiry into the tragedy.

The incident has renewed concern over the safety of school buildings in crowded urban areas, where emergency access can be severely limited. Rescue and relief operations were continuing as authorities assessed the stability of the damaged structure and the full scale of the loss.