School roof collapse kills teacher, 27 children in NW Pakistan

At least 28 people were killed and more deaths feared after a school roof collapsed during classes in Peshawar, Pakistan on Thursday. The victims included 27 students, most younger than 13, and a teacher. The privately-run Al-Khair Education Center school sustained the tragedy. Rescuers pulled bloodied students from the rubble as ambulances rushed to the scene.

The district emergency officer reported that at least 45 children were taken out of the building. Some more children are reported to be buried in the rubble. Rescue teams worked to extricate bodies and transport the injured to Lady Reading Hospital, which received 20 injured and most of the dead. An investigation into the cause of the collapse has been ordered.

The police chief expressed concern that the death toll could rise, as only 47 of the 110 students present during the incident had been rescued. The authorities stated that the building had a weak structure with an overweight roof due to additional construction, which led to the collapse.