At least 21 people, including a female teacher and 20 pupils, have been killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, north-western Pakistan. The incident occurred on Thursday, 15 October, in the Afridi Abad area of the city. The pupils who died were aged between seven and 12, while five injured people were reported to be in critical condition.
The collapse took place at Al Khair School while classes were in progress. The sudden failure of the roof left pupils and teachers trapped beneath the rubble, triggering an emergency response from local authorities and rescue workers.
Rescue operations began shortly after the incident. Emergency teams worked to search the debris for trapped victims, while those injured were taken to hospital for treatment. The authorities continued their efforts to establish whether anyone else remained beneath the collapsed structure.
A spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar confirmed to local media that 20 pupils had died. Of them, 18 were boys and two were girls. A female teacher was also reported to have lost her life in the disaster, bringing the reported death toll to 21.
The hospital spokesperson said five injured people were in critical condition. An emergency was declared at the hospital shortly after the collapse to help ensure that those affected received prompt medical attention.
Earlier reports from the hospital indicated that 17 pupils had been brought in dead. All were aged 13 or younger. Another 17 injured pupils were also taken to the hospital for treatment. The reported death toll subsequently rose to 21, including the teacher.
Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir confirmed that the roof of Al Khair School had collapsed. A statement issued by the deputy commissioner’s office said rescue operations had been under way since the incident.
The collapse has prompted concern over the safety of the school building. However, the precise cause of the incident was not immediately known. Investigators will need to determine whether structural weaknesses, construction problems or inadequate maintenance contributed to the disaster. No conclusions about the cause should be drawn until the investigation is completed.
Faisal Karim, governor of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, expressed grief over the deaths and directed the relevant authorities to investigate the incident.
In a statement, the governor described the loss of the children’s lives as an extremely painful tragedy and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.
The immediate priorities remained the rescue operation and medical treatment of the injured. The investigation into the collapse is also expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the disaster and identify any safety failures that may have contributed to the loss of life.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the importance of ensuring that school buildings are structurally sound and properly maintained. Regular inspections and timely repairs are essential to reducing risks to pupils and teachers. The findings of the investigation may help determine what measures are needed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
