Pakistan: 28 Children, Teacher Killed as School Roof Collapses in Peshawar; Owner Arrested

October 15, 2026

Peshawar, Pakistan: At least 29 people including 28 children and a female teachers were were killed after the roof of an private school collapsed in Peshawr, Pakistan on thrusday. More than 50 people were injured and some reported to be in critical condition as emergency teams rushed to rescue students and staff trapped beneath the rubble.

The incident took place at Al-Khair School in Peshawar’s Afridi Abad area, also described in reports as part of the city’s inner neighbourhoods. The collapse occurred during school hours, when children were attending classes. All the children killed or injured were aged 13 or younger, according to hospital officials.

Rescue workers, emergency personnel and local residents joined efforts to pull children from the debris and rush the injured to hospitals. Lady Reading Hospital received the victims and declared an emergency to ensure that medical treatment could be provided promptly.

School Roof Collapse Traps Students Under Rubble

According to officials, the roof of the school’s upper floor gave way, causing the structure below to collapse and trapping students beneath the debris. Emergency services received information about the incident and reached the site within minutes.

Residents of the neighbourhood were among the first to help, assisting rescue workers as they searched for children and school staff. Parents gathered outside the school and at hospitals with tears in their eyes seeking information about their children and loved ones.

A teacher who survived the collapse later described the terrifying experience from her hospital bed, saying she had been inside her classroom when the roof came down. She regained consciousness in hospital.

The school reportedly operated from a three story building and had around 1,200 students enrolled from nursery to fifth grade. Rescue officials initially warned that several children could still be trapped beneath the rubble.

Hours later, emergency teams said those trapped under the debris had been brought out, while workers continued clearing the site.

School Owner Arrested as Investigation Begins

Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed said the school building was structurally weak and that the weight of the upper-floor roof contributed to the collapse. The school’s owner has been arrested, and an investigation has been launched to establish the exact cause of the incident.

The provincial government has formed a committee to investigate the collapse and determine the circumstances that led to the tragedy. Officials have also directed hospitals to provide the best possible medical care to the injured children.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief over the deaths and sought a report from the authorities. Provincial officials said all available resources were being used to support rescue and medical efforts.

Pakistan’s President and Prime Minister Express Grief

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the loss of life and offered condolences to the families of the victims.

Zardari called for a comprehensive investigation and stressed the importance of ensuring that school buildings meet safety standards to prevent similar incidents.

The tragedy has once again drawn attention to building safety and construction standards in Pakistan, where structural collapses have repeatedly caused fatalities. In July, a roof collapse at a tutoring center under construction in Lahore killed four schoolchildren.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the Peshawar incident, including the condition of the school building and the factors that led to the roof giving way.