Death toll rises to 33 after Pakistan school roof collapse as owner is detained over suspected weak infrastructure

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — The roof of a school crumbled in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Thursday, claiming the lives of 32 students aged 14 or younger and a teacher, officials said. The tragedy, blamed on outdated infrastructure, prompted the detention of the school owner. Twenty additional students were hospitalized after being rescued from the rubble.

Upon learning of the collapse, residents rushed to help, recounting moments of panic as they rushed to the scene. Sohail, a local man, described witnessing around 10 to 15 children trapped beneath the debris, their heads barely above the rubble. Rescue workers scrambled to free the trapped children, many of whom were treated for head injuries and later discharged from Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital.

The death toll climbed to 33 by Thursday evening, with most victims ranging in age from four to 14. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's emergency rescue service spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi noted that the roof's failure caused one building to collapse onto another, trapping children inside.

Rescue teams found dozens of people at the scene, their efforts evident in images released by the emergency services. A senior official in Peshawar confirmed the roof collapse was due to weak infrastructure and stated that the school owner had been detained. Deep sorrow engulfed the city as bodies were taken from the hospital in white cloths, volunteers arriving to assist with identification.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari both expressed profound sorrow over the loss of innocent lives. Peshawar resident Sher Ahmed blamed substandard construction materials and called for a thorough investigation to prevent future tragedies. Pakistan, a nation of over 240 million people, has witnessed numerous building collapses in recent years, often attributed to poor safety standards and inferior construction materials.