Pakistan School Roof Collapses, Leaving at Least 20 Children Dead
Death toll and rescue efforts
Officials in Peshawar confirmed that the elementary school roof collapsed in the Afridi Abad area. At least 27 pupils, all under 13, and one teacher died, they said.
More than 40 injured people were brought to Lady Reading Hospital as rescue workers cleared debris and looked for survivors. District emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said at least 45 children had been removed, but more were believed to be beneath the rubble.
School size and condition
A teacher receiving treatment told reporters the school had three floors and more than 1,200 pupils and staff. Local media said roof collapses and other school-building failures have become increasingly common in Pakistan, citing poor construction standards and maintenance.
Other recent school disasters
In July, three young girls died near Umerkot after a government school’s outer wall fell. That same month, a roof collapse at a private school under construction in Lahore killed one child and injured five.
A month earlier, 14 children died in a similar incident at a private tutoring facility in Lahore. The report also mentioned another such incident in Dera Ghazi Khan shortly afterward.
Key points
- At least 27 pupils under 13 and one teacher died in the Peshawar collapse.
- More than 40 injured people were taken to Lady Reading Hospital.
- Rescuers searched the rubble, with more children thought to be trapped.
- Recent school-building failures have also killed children in Umerkot and Lahore.