Islamabad: A heart-wrenching incident occurred on Thursday morning in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The roof of a private school in the city’s Dir Colony area suddenly collapsed, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 students and one teacher.
More than 40 children sustained serious injuries in the incident. All the deceased children were under the age of 13; the tragedy struck while they were attending class.
The roof of the private school, located in the densely populated Dir Colony of Peshawar, collapsed with a loud crash while morning classes were in session. Dozens of children and staff members became trapped beneath the debris, which included concrete slabs and bricks. Rescue teams, the fire department, and local residents rushed to the scene and launched a rescue operation using heavy machinery (JCBs) and gas cutters. Mohammad Asim, a spokesperson for Peshawar’s prominent Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), confirmed that the bodies of 17 children and one female teacher have been brought to the facility. A medical emergency has been declared at the hospital, and children in critical condition are currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Dr. Mian Saeed, the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) of Peshawar, confirmed the incident and stated that over 40 injured individuals are receiving emergency treatment across various hospitals. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep shock and condolences over the tragedy; he issued strict directives to officials to intensify debris-clearing operations and ensure that the injured receive high-quality medical care, free of cost.
Samar Haroon Bilour, an advisor on information and public relations to the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, visited the hospital to inquire about the condition of the injured and ordered an investigation into the negligence that led to the tragedy. In Pakistan, the lack of safety standards in smaller and private schools, poor maintenance of aging buildings, and the use of substandard construction materials—such as low-quality cement and steel—are major contributing factors to such disasters. Rain and Adverse Weather: Recent rainfall in northwestern Pakistan caused the walls and roofs of old buildings to become damp and weakened. The provincial education department has initiated an investigation into whether the building had a fitness certificate and if a safety inspection had been conducted.