RismadarVoice Reporters
October 15, 2026
At least 28 people, including 27 pupils and a teacher, have reportedly died after the roof of a school collapsed in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan.
More than 30 others sustained injuries, with six said to be in critical condition, according to Asim Khan, an official of Lady Reading Hospital.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for the emergency rescue service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said the collapse affected multiple sections of the building, trapping pupils beneath the debris.
He explained that one roof fell onto another, causing the classroom below to collapse.
Emergency authorities deployed 16 ambulances, two disaster response vehicles and more than 60 rescue personnel to the scene.
Rescue workers searched through the debris for survivors amid concerns that additional pupils could remain trapped.
Photographs from the scene showed emergency personnel clearing rubble while residents gathered around the affected school.
A resident, Sher Ahmed, raised concerns about the quality of construction materials used in the building and called for a comprehensive investigation.
However, authorities had not established the cause of the collapse, and allegations concerning construction standards remained unverified.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed condolences to the families of those who died and pledged sympathy for the injured.
President Asif Ali Zardari also described the incident as a tragedy and expressed solidarity with the affected families.
The incident has renewed concerns about structural safety in educational facilities across Pakistan.
Previous building collapses in the country have prompted calls for stronger construction oversight, regular inspections and enforcement of safety standards.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the latest incident and determine whether structural defects or other factors contributed to the collapse.
