A structural collapse at a private school building in Peshawar resulted in significant casualties on Thursday. The incident claimed the lives of at least 28 children and one female teacher, with six girls among the deceased. Hospital officials reported that more than 50 additional people sustained injuries, with some in critical condition. All those killed or injured were age 13 or younger, according to medical staff at the facility that treated the wounded.
The three-story school building housed approximately 1,200 students in nursery through fifth grade. An instructor at the institution reported being in her classroom when the structure failed and described the sensation as the sky collapsing. She regained consciousness after receiving treatment. Rescue operations began shortly after emergency services received notification, with residents in the congested central Peshawar neighborhood among the first to assist in extraction efforts. By several hours after the incident, officials announced that all individuals trapped beneath the rubble had been removed and cleanup operations were underway.
Authorities initiated a formal investigation into the cause of the collapse. The school’s owner was taken into custody, and police leadership indicated the building exhibited structural deficiencies. Provincial government officials established a committee to examine the circumstances and directed hospital administrators to ensure comprehensive medical care for injured students. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed condolences and sought information from relevant agencies regarding the collapse’s cause.
National leadership also responded to the incident. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued separate statements offering sympathies to affected families and emphasized the importance of investigating the incident. The president called for measures to ensure school buildings meet appropriate safety standards. Building collapses occur regularly in Pakistan, where construction oversight remains inconsistent and cost-reduction practices often take precedence over safety compliance.
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