PESHAWAR: At least 34 children, most of them below the age of 13, and a female teacher died on Thursday after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, officials said.
A rescue official said that the roof of a higher floor collapsed on the roof of the first floor of the building which in turn collapsed on students in classes.
Visuals showed ambulances rushing to the scene and rescue workers retrieving bloodied students from the rubble.
The administration of Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), which initially reported four deaths, later said that 33 bodies were brought to the hospital.
Two bodies were shifted to Naseerullah Khan Babar Memorial Hospital in the provincial capital, it added.
Among the victims were also six girls, according to the LRH administration. The administration said that 20 children were also injured in the roof collapse.
The body of a female teacher was also brought to the hospital following the incident, the LRH administration said.
Peshawar deputy commissioner said that all people trapped beneath the debris have been rescued.
Resident Sher Ahmed said he blamed “substandard construction materials” for the tragedy, and called for a probe.
“With profound grief and sorrow, I urge the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and take strict action against anyone found responsible so that such tragedies can be prevented in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed said that the owner of the private school has been arrested following the incident.
The owner of the school where the roof collapsed was operating the institution as an education trust, he added.
CCPO Saeed had said earlier that over 40 had been injured in roof collapse in the provincial capital.
Provincial Education Secretary Inayatullah Waseem directed the managing director of the Private Schools Regulatory Authority to submit a report over the incident by tomorrow.
The education secretary also expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the children and teachers who died in the incident.
‘Substandard materials’ in building
SSP Operations said that the school roof collapsed while between 110 and 115 children were present inside the building, causing deaths after the structure failed to bear their weight.
“The roof is weak, and no one is being allowed inside,” he said, while providing details about the construction and circumstances of the collapse.
According to the SSP Operations, T-iron beams and planks had been used in the roof’s construction.
He said the structure could not withstand the weight and collapsed, trapping children beneath the debris.
A police investigation officer said that substandard materials had been used in the school building, adding that school owner had been arrested over the alleged use of substandard construction materials.
Condolences pour in
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed sorrow over the incident and sought a report from the relevant authorities.
He also directed authorities to provide the best possible medical facilities to injured children.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in the collapse of a school roof in Peshawar.
The prime minister offered prayers for the elevation of the ranks of those killed in the tragic incident, including children.
He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and directed the authorities to ensure that they received all possible medical assistance.
The prime minister further instructed the authorities to expedite relief and rescue operations at the site of the school roof collapse.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said the loss of innocent children had left him deeply saddened.
Speaker Sadiq expressed solidarity with the bereaved families, and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also expressed grief over the school roof collapse and called on the administration to accelerate rescue efforts.
He urged officials to immediately retrieve those trapped beneath the debris and ensure effective arrangements for treating the injured brought to LRH.
KP governor’s adviser on Information and Public Relations Samar Haroon Bilour expressed grief over the roof collapse, directing the provision of the best possible medical facilities to the injured children.
