Pakistan school roof collapse kills 28; more deaths feared

October 15, 2026 2:09 AM EDT

Residents and rescue workers gather near an ambulance after a school roof collapse in Peshawar Pakistan, October 15, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS

ISLAMABAD, Oct 15 (Reuters) - ‌At least 27 ​students, ​most younger than 13, were killed in Pakistan on Thursday, along with a teacher, when ‌a school roof collapsed during classes in the ⁠northwestern city of Peshawar, authorities said, warning that the death toll ‌could rise.

Television images showed ‌ambulances rushing to the site at the privately-run Al-Khair Education Center school while rescuers pulled bloodied students from ​the rubble.

"We have taken out at least 45 children," said district emergency officer Iftikhar Khan, adding that ⁠some more children were reported to be buried in the rubble.

Rescue teams were ​working to extricate bodies and take the injured to hospital, said government official Bilal Faizi.

Twenty ​injured and most of the ‌dead were brought to the city's Lady Reading Hospital, its spokesperson, Mohammad Asim, said.

A rescue ⁠official said the ceiling came down on the students after the roof of a higher floor collapsed, crumpling the two ⁠storeys.

Authorities said an investigation had been ordered to determine the cause.

Peshawar ​police chief Mian Saeed said he feared the death toll could rise as just 47 of the 110 students in three ‌classrooms at the time had been rescued.

"It was a weak building structure," Saeed added. "Its roof ‌was overweight with construction on a weak structure that ⁠caused the collapse."

There was ‌no immediate comment ​from school officials.

(Reporting by Islamabad bureau; Writing by Hritam Mukherjee and YP Rajesh; Editing by Clarence ‌Fernandez)



Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

You May Also Be Interested In





Related Categories

Reuters