By SCM International Desk I Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — At least 29 people, including 28 children and a teacher, were killed on Thursday when the concrete roof of a private school collapsed in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, local officials and hospital authorities said. Dozens of others were injured as rescue workers scrambled to clear piles of rubble in search of survivors.
The disaster occurred at the Al-Khair Education Centre in the Afridi Abad neighborhood of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to eyewitnesses and first responders, the upper level or roof structure gave way suddenly during normal classroom hours, trapping dozens of students underneath dense concrete and heavy masonry.
Desperate parents and local residents rushed to the scene alongside emergency personnel, digging through the debris with bare hands and heavy machinery to pull victims out. Local hospitals declared a state of emergency to manage the influx of injured children brought in by ambulances and civilian vehicles.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the tragedy, instructing authorities to expedite relief efforts and ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.
However, preliminary reports suggest sub-standard building materials and poor structural integrity may have contributed to the catastrophe, bringing renewed scrutiny to building safety enforcement across the country.
