Peshawar, Clear Skies Magazine: At least 35 people, including 34 children and one female teacher, were killed when the roof of a three-storey private school collapsed in the Dir Colony area of Peshawar, according to hospital authorities. The deceased children included six girls.
Hospital officials said 33 bodies were brought to Lady Reading Hospital, while two were taken to Nasirullah Babar Memorial Hospital.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Mian Saeed confirmed that the owner of the private school had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Rescue officials said they received information about the roof collapse at 8:48 a.m. Emergency teams rushed to the site and launched rescue operations to recover those trapped beneath the debris.
According to rescue authorities, 20 injured people were taken to Lady Reading Hospital and 33 to Nasirullah Babar Memorial Hospital. Several of the injured were reported to be in critical condition. Officials said all those trapped beneath the rubble had been recovered.
Inquiry Committee Formed
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner has constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the incident and determine the causes of the roof collapse.
The committee will examine the circumstances surrounding the collapse and establish the factors that led to the tragedy.
Separately, Secretary of Education Inayatullah Waseem took notice of the incident and directed the Managing Director of the Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA) to submit a report by the following day.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse and identify any possible lapses in building safety or regulatory compliance.