At least 21 children have died after the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Thursday, while dozens of others suffered injuries, officials said.
The administration of Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), which initially reported four deaths, later confirmed that the bodies of 21 children had been brought to the hospital. It also reported that 20 children sustained injuries in the incident.
The body of a female teacher was also brought to the hospital, according to the LRH administration.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed confirmed that more than 40 people had been injured in the collapse. Rescue officials had earlier reported that several children remained trapped under the rubble.
Rescue teams launched an operation at the site to search through the debris for children and school staff, according to rescue authorities.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives in the school roof collapse and offered prayers for the victims, including the children who died.
He also prayed for the recovery of those injured and directed the authorities to ensure they received all possible medical assistance.
The prime minister further instructed officials to speed up rescue and relief operations at the site.
KP Governor’s Adviser on Information and Public Relations Samar Haroon Bilour also expressed grief over the incident and called for the provision of the best possible medical facilities to the injured children.
