Pakistan School Roof Collapse Kills 35 in Peshawar
AM730 · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, caused mass casualties during morning lessons on Thursday, 15 October. The latest death toll reported by evening Hong Kong time was 35, with the victims including students and teachers, while dozens more were injured. The children involved were reported to be between 6 and 14 years old, and hospitals activated emergency measures to handle the influx of casualties. Pakistan’s leaders ordered investigations, and the school operator was arrested after the disaster.
Key Points
- The collapse happened during class time at a two-storey private school in Peshawar, where an upper-floor roof gave way and buried people in two classrooms below.
- Casualty figures varied through the day, but the latest reported toll rose to 35 dead, with more than 50 injured and several in critical condition.
- Sources differed on the breakdown of the dead, reporting either 34 students and one teacher, or 33 students and two teachers.
- Rescue workers and nearby residents pulled survivors from the rubble, with about 100 rescuers deployed and at least 40 to 45 children brought out alive.
- President Asif Ali Zardari ordered a full investigation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought a detailed report, and provincial authorities pledged school safety inspections.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the disaster is a stark reminder that school building safety and emergency preparedness can become life-and-death issues within seconds when structural failures occur. The official response in Pakistan, including arrests, investigations and wider safety checks, also shows how quickly public scrutiny turns to accountability after a school tragedy.