PESHAWAR: The death toll from a roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar’s Deir Colony has risen to 28, including 26 children and two teachers, according to hospital officials, as rescue teams continue searching the rubble for survivors.
More than 40 people have been injured in the incident, while at least 20 children are reported to be in critical condition, a spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) said. Most of the critically injured children have been shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for treatment.
The hospital received 17 children who were already dead, the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, the body of another child and 33 injured children were taken to Naseerullah Babar Memorial Hospital, where emergency measures have also been put in place.
Rescue officials have warned that more children could remain trapped beneath the debris, raising fears that the death toll may climb further.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar said the school is located within the jurisdiction of Yakatoot police station. Around 120 children were inside the building at the time of the collapse, he said, adding that the school’s owner had been taken into custody.
The school has been identified as Al-Khair Education System, owned by Maulana Khan Muhammad Darvesh.
Two classrooms completely destroyed
According to Hum News’ Peshawar bureau chief, the private school is situated along Ring Road in the densely populated Deir Colony neighbourhood. Although the building had only one storey, additional rooms had been constructed on its roof.
Two classrooms were completely destroyed in the collapse. Students in grades six and seven were reportedly among those most affected. The children were believed to be between 11 and 14 years old, although the exact number of students in the affected classrooms has not been confirmed.
School administrators were not present at the scene to provide further details.
A Hum News reporter at the site said the building appeared to be in poor condition and may have been weakened by recent rainfall. However, the precise cause of the collapse has not yet been officially established.
The incident occurred at around 9am in a densely populated area. Relatives of the children and local residents rushed to the scene and attempted to assist rescue workers.
The large crowds, narrow streets and heavy traffic reportedly complicated rescue operations and the transfer of injured victims to hospitals.
Inquiry ordered into school collapse
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s education adviser and secretary for elementary and secondary education have ordered an inquiry into the tragedy and directed a committee to submit its findings within 24 hours.
The managing director of the Private Schools Regulatory Authority has also been instructed to reach the site immediately and assess the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of life and offered condolences to the bereaved families. He also directed authorities to accelerate rescue operations.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed condolences and called for immediate medical assistance for the injured.
Provincial Information Adviser Samar Haroon Bilour also conveyed sympathy to the affected families and urged authorities to ensure timely, quality medical treatment for injured children. She praised Rescue 1122 personnel for their response and called for all available resources to be used to recover those trapped beneath the rubble.
Fourth major school-related collapse reported this year
The Peshawar tragedy follows several deadly school-related structural collapses reported in Pakistan this year.
On February 21, a shed at an under-construction government girls’ high school in Sialkot collapsed, killing a Grade 8 student. On May 7, four students died when the roof of a classroom at a private school collapsed in Dera Ghazi Khan.
On June 30, a roof collapse at a tuition centre in Lahore’s Kahna area killed 14 children. Two days later, on July 2, an eight-year-old boy died when part of an under-construction school building collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area.
The latest incident has renewed concerns about the structural safety of educational buildings and the enforcement of construction and safety standards at schools across Pakistan.
