School roof collapses in Peshawar, killing 29 people — Dawn

In Pakistan’s Peshawar, the roof of the private Al-Khair School collapsed in the Afridi Abad area. At least 29 people were killed — 28 students aged seven to 16 and a female teacher. Another 19 people were injured, Dawn reports.

Lady Reading Hospital confirmed the deaths of 28 people, while one more death was reported at the Nasirullah Khan Babar Memorial Hospital in Peshawar. A state of emergency was declared at Lady Reading Hospital following the incident.

Rescue operation completed

Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir said rescuers cleared the rubble and completed the rescue operation. According to him, no injured children remained at the site.

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Students were in classrooms when the collapse occurred. A rescue service representative told AFP that after the upper-floor roof collapsed, the slabs of two floors gave way. Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed Ahmed said the building’s structure was weak and that the roof was overloaded by an addition built on a weak structure.

Authorities ordered to establish the causes

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed condolences to the families of the victims and demanded a detailed report on the tragedy. He also ordered inspections of the structural safety of educational institutions across the province to identify potential risks.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered that assistance to those affected be accelerated and that the injured receive the necessary medical care. President Asif Ali Zardari called for a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the collapse and for checks on whether educational institution buildings meet safety requirements.