A school roof collapse in Peshawar, northern Pakistan, killed at least 32 children and a teacher on Thursday morning, according to local authorities, after heavy overnight rainfall reportedly weakened the structure. Dozens of other pupils were injured, and rescue teams continued searching the rubble for people who might still be trapped.
The collapse occurred at Al Khair Public School, a two-storey building in Peshawar. Bilal Ahmed of the local rescue services said the overnight rain had left the roof structurally unstable before it gave way.
Medical personnel at Lady Reading Hospital, where the victims were taken, said the children who died were between six and 14 years old. A 25-year-old teacher was also among the fatalities.
Around 50 children were reported injured, with several requiring close medical observation. Emergency crews worked to remove debris and reach anyone who might remain beneath the collapsed structure, Ahmed said.
Residents living nearby were among the first to respond, according to eyewitness accounts. Rescue teams and ambulances subsequently arrived at the scene, although narrow streets presented challenges for emergency access.
The disaster has renewed concerns about the safety of school buildings and construction standards in Pakistan, where structural failures have repeatedly raised questions about building quality, maintenance and the enforcement of safety regulations. The circumstances surrounding the Peshawar collapse are now the subject of a formal investigation.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and called for a thorough inquiry. In a statement shared by his office on X, he said, “In this hour of sorrow, the entire nation shares equally in the grief of the affected families.”
Police official Muhammad Ali confirmed that the school’s owner had been taken into custody as investigators began examining the circumstances that led to the collapse. The reported detention does not, by itself, establish responsibility for the deaths.
The incident comes amid other serious safety failures reported in Pakistan. Weeks earlier, a hospital fire in Islamabad killed 14 newborns, with reports pointing to inadequate fire alarms, sprinkler systems and emergency procedures. In July, a roof collapse at an under-construction tutoring centre in Lahore killed 14 schoolchildren.
The Peshawar tragedy has placed renewed attention on the risks children face when school buildings are unable to withstand severe weather or meet basic structural safety requirements. The investigation is expected to examine why the roof failed and whether any construction or safety shortcomings contributed to the deaths.
