Pakistan school roof collapse: At least 27 children killed with more feared buried in the rubble
At least 27 students, mostly below the age of 13, and a teacher were fatally struck when their classroom roof gave way.
Dozens of children have been killed in a roof collapse at a private school in Pakistan, with more feared trapped under the rubble.
At least 27 students, mostly below the age of 13, were fatally struck when their classroom roof gave way in Peshawar City, in the country’s north-west, on Thursday morning.
A woman who was a teacher at the school was among the dead.
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Several children were hit by steel rods and were in a critical condition, he said, amid fears the death toll could rise.
The owner of the school has been arrested and an inquiry ordered, police official Mian Saeed said.
Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed said the building was structurally weak.
Local media reported more than 100 children were present at the school at the time.
Dozens of rescuers backed by heavy machines and local volunteers were helping to remove the rubble, emergency services spokesman Bilal Faizi said.
Television footage shows parents running in the street in panic and ambulances rushing children to hospitals.
Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced. Many structures are built with substandard materials, and safety regulations are frequently ignored to reduce costs.
more to come
DPA, with Reuters and AP
