Islamabad: At least 31 children and two female teachers were killed, and more than 50 other people were injured after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, According to Pakistani Local media reports.
The injured were hospitalised in the local Lady Reading Hospital (LRH).
According to LRH, 53 children were taken to the hospital. Most of them were boys. Out of these 33 died while 17 were released from the hospital after being observed. All the children were 14 years old or younger according to daily The Express Tribune.
The LRH spokesperson Muhammad Asim said that an emergency was declared at LRH and senior hospital officials were present in the trauma ward to oversee the treatment of the people including some who were in critical condition.
Speaking to reporters Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Mian Saeed said that the owner of the school has been taken into custody and a case will be filed over the incident according to The Express Tribune.
Saeed said the roof of the school had been poorly built and the building was located in streets, which made it difficult for rescue operations. He said that 110 children were enrolled in the school.
Pakistan army personnel arrived at the site of the incident. Joined rescue and relief agencies in searching for children and staff who were feared to be trapped under the debris.
Reports suggest that roof and building collapses are a problem in Pakistan, where weak safety enforcement and poor construction materials have repeatedly caused such tragedies.
In August a couple was. Their daughters were injured after the roof of their house collapsed in Islamabad following three days of heavy rain Dawn reported.
In July at 11 people were killed and six others were injured after a three-storey building collapsed in Harbanspura town of Lahore, Pakistan.
According to the spokesperson three brothers lived in the building with their families while their sister and her children were there for birthday celebrations just before the building collapsed. Lahore DC retired Captain Muhammad Ali Ijaz ordered an investigation to find out the cause of the incident.
In June many as 14 children were killed after the roof of a private tuition centre in the Kahna area of Lahore, Pakistan Dawn reported.
The incident happened than two months after four children were killed and 20 people were injured when the roof of a classroom, at a private school collapsed in Dera Ghazi Khan city of Punjab, Pakistan.