Pakistan school roof collapse kills at least 29 in Peshawar
The roof of a private school in Peshawar collapsed Thursday, killing at least 28 children and a teacher and injuring more than 50 people, a hospital spokesman said. Police say the owner was arrested and the building was structurally weak.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
The roof of the Al-Khair Education Centre, a private school in Peshawar, collapsed on Thursday, Oct. 15. At least 28 students and one teacher were killed and more than 50 people were hurt, hospital spokesman Mohammad Asim said. He said all the children killed or injured were 13 or younger, and some of the injured are in critical condition. Rescue officials later said everyone trapped under the rubble had been pulled out.
Why it matters
Nearly all the dead were young children in class, and officials say the building itself was the problem. Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed said the school's owner was arrested and the building was structurally weak. AP notes that construction rules are often poorly enforced in Pakistan. In July, a roof collapse at a tutoring center under construction in Lahore killed four children.
What’s next
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government formed a committee to find the cause. Gov. Faisal Karim Kundi asked for a report. President Asif Ali Zardari called for a full inquiry and said school buildings must meet safety standards. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also offered condolences.
More context
What's still unknown: Why the roof failed, and whether the building had passed any inspection. Accounts of the school's size also differ. An injured teacher told AP the three-story school had about 1,200 students from nursery to fifth grade. Al Jazeera's correspondent put registered students at about 350.
4 listed sources
- NPR / AP, Oct. 15, 2026
- Al Jazeera / Reuters / AP, Oct. 15, 2026
- CBS News, Oct. 15, 2026
- The New York Times, Oct. 15, 2026
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Casualty figures are from Lady Reading Hospital spokesman Mohammad Asim, via AP (on NPR) and Al Jazeera/Reuters. Early tallies differed (the New York Times first reported at least 20 children). Enrollment figures differ between accounts. Photos are file images of Peshawar, not of the collapse.
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