At least 28 people, including a teacher, have been killed after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, on Thursday, leaving several children trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescue 1122 Peshawar said emergency teams had recovered 47 children from the debris and transported them to hospitals for medical attention.
According to a statement published on the agency’s Facebook page, 28 of those rescued had died, including a teacher. The circumstances surrounding the collapse were not immediately clear.
Rescue officials said the operation was nearing completion, with approximately 95 per cent of the debris cleared. However, search efforts continued at the Al-Khair Education Center amid concerns that more children could still be trapped beneath the rubble.
Emergency personnel remained at the scene as they worked to locate possible survivors and ensure that no one remained buried under the collapsed structure.
The incident has again drawn attention to the problem of building collapses in Pakistan, where such disasters are frequently linked to weak enforcement of construction regulations, inadequate safety standards and the use of substandard building materials.
In a similar incident in June, 14 children died after the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in the Kahna area of Lahore.
The latest tragedy adds to concerns about the safety of educational facilities, particularly privately operated schools and tuition centres, and the need for effective inspections and enforcement of building regulations.
Authorities had yet to provide further details about the cause of Thursday’s collapse or announce whether an investigation had been launched.
