Horror As School Roof Collapse Kills 27 Pupils, Teacher

A school roof collapse in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, has killed 28 people, including a teacher and 27 pupils, while leaving more than 30 others injured.

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The tragedy occurred on Thursday, October 15, 2026, triggering an emergency rescue operation as authorities worked to recover victims trapped beneath the rubble.

Asim Khan, an official at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, confirmed the death toll to AFP. He added that at least six injured victims were in critical condition.

According to Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesman for the Rescue 1122 emergency service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the collapse crushed a classroom and trapped several schoolchildren under the debris.

Faizi explained that rescuers discovered that one roof had fallen onto another, causing the structure beneath it to collapse.

He said emergency teams were concerned that more pupils could still be trapped beneath the wreckage.

Consequently, authorities deployed 16 ambulances, two disaster response vehicles and more than 60 emergency personnel to the scene.

Images released by the provincial rescue service showed workers in high-visibility jackets clearing rubble and searching through the debris for survivors.

Meanwhile, residents gathered around the affected school as rescue operations continued.

One resident, Sher Ahmed, blamed what he described as the use of substandard building materials for the disaster and called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

He urged authorities to identify and punish anyone found responsible, stressing the need to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Pakistani Leaders React to Deadly School Collapse

Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and extended condolences to the affected families.

In a statement, Sharif's office said the prime minister prayed for the bereaved families to find the strength and patience to endure their loss.

Similarly, President Asif Ali Zardari described the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy.

He said the entire country shared in the grief of the families affected by the disaster.

Building Collapses Raise Safety Concerns in Pakistan

The latest incident has renewed concerns about building safety in Pakistan, where structural collapses have repeatedly claimed lives.

Poor construction practices, inadequate safety standards and the use of substandard materials have been identified as recurring problems behind such disasters.

In June 2026, more than a dozen children reportedly died when the roof of a tutoring centre collapsed in Lahore, eastern Pakistan.

Furthermore, a five-storey building collapsed in the Lyari district of Karachi in 2025, killing 27 people and injuring 10 others.

The latest school disaster has intensified calls for a thorough investigation and stronger enforcement of construction regulations to protect pupils and prevent further loss of life.