PESHAWAR: At least 29 people, including 27 students and two teachers, have been killed and more than 40 injured after the roof of a three-storey school building collapsed in Peshawar’s Dir Colony.
Police said the owner of the school building had been taken into custody, while the number of people still trapped beneath the rubble remained unknown.
According to officials, the school building had been damaged by rain. A joint rescue operation by the Pakistan Army and Rescue 1122 was underway at Al-Khair School in Peshawar.
Rescue officials said 43 injured people had been shifted to hospital, with the injured taken to Lady Reading Hospital. Army personnel are working alongside other emergency teams to pull people trapped beneath the rubble.
PAKISTAN: 17 CHILDREN, TEACHER KILLED AS SCHOOL ROOF COLLAPSES IN PESHAWAR
At least 17 students, all under 13, and one teacher were killed when a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan.
More than a dozen people were injured, according to a hospital spokesperson.
— Subodh Kumar (@kumarsubodh_) October 15, 2026
Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim said 21 students had been killed in the incident. He added that an emergency had been declared at the hospital.
“All the children are aged 13 or under,” Asim said.
Rescue officials said at least 47 students injured in the school roof collapse had been taken to hospitals.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said rescue personnel had transported around 20 people, including students and teachers, to hospitals.
The death toll from the Peshawar school roof tragedy has risen to 28, including two teachers and 26 students.
More than 40 are injured, while rescue teams continue searching for those feared trapped beneath the rubble. #Peshawar #SchoolTragedy #Pakistan https://t.co/CHIUlyiOQX— Sajjad Tarakzai (@SajjadTarakzai) October 15, 2026
Ahmed initially confirmed four deaths, citing Lady Reading Hospital, while further reports put the death toll at at least 17.
Rescue Operation
Rescue 1122 said children had received first aid and been taken to hospitals. It also warned that several children were feared trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescue personnel continued searching the site as emergency teams worked to assist the injured and establish whether anyone remained trapped.
President Zardari Expresses Grief
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and injuries of children and teachers in the school roof collapse in Peshawar.
He said the tragic incident had plunged the entire nation into grief and offered condolences to the bereaved families, praying for strength and patience for them to bear the loss.
The president also prayed for the speedy and complete recovery of those injured and directed the relevant authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment and provide all possible assistance to affected families.
He called for a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of the incident and measures to prevent similar tragedies in educational institutions.
PM Shehbaz Offers Condolences
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the Peshawar school roof collapse.
He prayed for the elevation of the ranks of those who died, including children, and extended condolences to their families, asking Allah to grant them patience and strength.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar expressed deep grief over the Peshawar school roof collapse, offered condolences to the bereaved families and called for urgent assistance, the best possible medical care for the injured and stronger school safety standards to prevent such tragedies.
The collapse of a school roof in Peshawar, resulting in the tragic loss of 17 precious lives, has deeply pained the entire nation.
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ۔
Our children are our most precious asset, and every such loss is a tragedy for the entire country.
My heartfelt condolences and prayers are with the bereaved families. May Allah Almighty grant the departed the highest place in Jannah and bless their families with صبرِ جمیل and the strength to bear this irreparable loss. آمین۔
The Prime Minister @CMShehbaz and the Government have taken serious note of the situation. Ensuring the safety and protection of our children must remain paramount. All necessary measures must be taken to provide immediate assistance to those affected, ensure the best possible medical care for the injured, and strengthen safety standards in our schools to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) October 15, 2026
The prime minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and directed the authorities to ensure they received all possible medical assistance. He further ordered that rescue operations be expedited.
Roof and building collapses are a recurring problem in Pakistan, often linked to poor safety standards, substandard construction materials and inadequate oversight.
Substandard construction
A Rescue 1122 official told the media that the school building had been weakened by rain.
In July, three girls aged between three and 13 were killed when part of a government primary school’s boundary wall collapsed near Umerkot in Sindh. The same month, a child died, and at least five people were injured when the roof of an under-construction private school collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area.
In June, 14 children were killed when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area. The incident occurred less than two months after four children died and 20 people were injured in the collapse of a classroom roof at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan.
An investigation into the latter incident found that construction work on an extension to the building was under way when the classroom roof collapsed.
Other incidents have also highlighted the risks posed by unsafe buildings and extreme weather. Last week, two men died when the roof of their house collapsed during heavy rain and a windstorm in Pakpattan.
