PESHAWAR, Pakistan — At least 29 people, including schoolchildren and a teacher, have been killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in northwestern Pakistan, leaving more than 50 others injured and triggering urgent calls for improved building safety standards.
The incident occurred on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Al-Khair Education Centre in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Authorities said the collapse happened during classes, trapping students and teachers beneath the rubble.
Children Among the Victims
The victims were predominantly children aged 13 and younger. Hospital officials reported that some of the injured were in critical condition, prompting Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar to declare an emergency to accommodate casualties.
Emergency response teams, disaster management personnel and local residents rushed to the scene to help rescue those trapped beneath the collapsed structure. According to officials, rescue workers arrived within minutes of receiving the alert, while volunteers assisted in moving injured children to safety.
Authorities later reported that everyone believed to be trapped beneath the debris had been brought out, although the incident left families devastated as they searched hospitals and waited for information about their children.
School Owner Arrested as Investigation Begins
Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed confirmed that the school’s owner had been arrested following the disaster. He described the building as structurally weak, raising concerns about whether construction standards and safety requirements had been adequately followed.
The provincial government has established a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine what caused the roof to give way.
Officials have also directed hospitals to provide prompt medical attention to the injured, while government leaders expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately conveyed their sympathies and called for a comprehensive investigation. Zardari stressed the importance of ensuring that school buildings meet appropriate safety standards to prevent similar tragedies.
Building Safety Concerns in Pakistan
The disaster has renewed concerns about construction quality and the enforcement of building regulations in Pakistan, where structural collapses have repeatedly claimed lives.
Experts and residents have raised concerns about the use of substandard construction materials, weak structures and inadequate compliance with safety requirements. Such problems can place children and teachers at serious risk, particularly in densely populated neighbourhoods.
In July, four schoolchildren died when the roof of a tutoring centre under construction collapsed in Lahore, highlighting the continuing dangers associated with unsafe buildings.
The investigation in Peshawar is expected to establish the circumstances behind Thursday’s collapse and determine whether negligence contributed to the tragedy. The incident has intensified calls for stricter inspections, stronger enforcement of construction regulations and greater accountability to protect students and school staff.
Swifteradio.com
