School owner arrested after dozens of children killed in roof collapse

At least 33 pupils and a teacher were killed when the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, according to hospital officials. More than a dozen others were injured, with some in critical condition. Emergency services responded to the incident at the Al-Khair school in Dir Colony at 08:48 local time on Thursday after lessons had started. The collapse occurred in an upper-floor classroom, causing ceilings below to cave in and trapping students under debris. Police chief Mian Saeed announced the arrest of the school’s owner and pledged a thorough investigation into potential violations of building codes. An English teacher from a nearby school described rushing to the site with other locals upon hearing sirens and ambulances. They helped pull more than 20 children from the rubble, though many later died. One survivor reportedly asked for water, saying his tongue had dried up. Local resident Sohail said he and others used shovels to extract children from under the debris. According to emergency official Arif Khattak, the school building was constructed temporarily. Earlier reports indicated damage to a two-storey section, but police chief Mian Saeed later confirmed that three floors collapsed. There were approximately 30 pupils in the top class, 40 in the middle, and 45 on the ground floor. The roof of the top-floor classroom collapsed, causing rubble to crash through lower levels and bring their ceilings down. Saeed stated the structure had “substandard” roof slabs and was overloaded beyond its weight capacity. The narrow street made it challenging for rescuers to access the site and transport the injured to hospitals. Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital reported 32 child fatalities and one teacher, while Naseerullah Khan Babar Memorial Hospital recorded one additional death. At least 34 children and a teacher were killed in the incident, according to other reports. Additional coverage noted that more than 53 people were injured, with the number of casualties potentially rising as more than 100 children were present during the collapse. Local media reported that the central hospital received at least 35 bodies and 53 injured children, with 28 boys, six girls, and one teacher among the deceased. Several critically injured children required urgent medical attention. Authorities launched an investigation and arrested the school owner. Police chief Mian Saeed explained that children aged seven to 12 were in the classrooms during the collapse. Rescuers took several hours to extract bodies and injured individuals using machinery. Reports indicated that the school had more than 100 children, although officials did not officially confirm this number. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life, extending condolences to affected families and requesting strength and patience to cope with the tragedy. President Asif Ali Zardari called the incident a heartbreaking tragedy, emphasizing national solidarity with the victims' families. The collapse highlights ongoing issues with substandard construction materials and poor safety standards in Pakistan, where similar incidents frequently occur. In June, more than a dozen children died in a roof collapse in Lahore, and in 2025, 27 people were killed in a building collapse in Karachi.