School roof collapse in Pakistan kills at least 33, including 32 children

A roof collapsed at a private school in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Thursday, killing at least 33 people, including 32 children and a female teacher, according to local hospital officials and rescue authorities. More than 50 others were reported injured, making it one of the deadliest school-building disasters in the country in recent years.

The collapse took place in the Afridi Abad area of the northwestern city while students were inside their classrooms. Rescue teams rushed to the scene and transported the injured to nearby hospitals, including Lady Reading Hospital, where officials later revised the death toll upward as more bodies were recovered.

Pakistan has faced repeated tragedies linked to building failures, particularly in older or poorly maintained structures. In recent years, collapses at schools and other public facilities have raised recurring concerns about construction standards, maintenance, and safety oversight in a country where severe weather and aging infrastructure can add to the risks.

Officials open investigation into the collapse

Provincial officials said a committee had been formed to investigate the cause of the collapse. Early accounts indicated that students were present in the building when the roof came down, and emergency responders continued working through the debris as the scale of the casualties became clear.

The victims reported by local officials were children between the ages of seven and 14, underscoring the concentration of the losses in a single classroom setting. Authorities did not immediately say whether structural damage, maintenance problems, or another factor triggered the collapse.

The disaster has renewed scrutiny of school safety in Pakistan, where parents and local residents often rely on private and public institutions with uneven resources. For families in Peshawar, Thursday’s collapse turned an ordinary school day into a mass-casualty emergency, with recovery efforts expected to continue as officials finalize the toll and identify those killed.