In brief
In the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, a school building’s roof suddenly collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 33 pupils and a teacher and leaving more than twelve injured. Hospital officials confirmed the casualty figures as rescue teams worked to pull survivors from the rubble. Police chief Mian Saeed announced the arrest of the school’s owner and pledged a thorough inquiry into possible violations of building regulations. Reputation for oversight in the region comes under scrutiny as authorities move to identify the cause of the tragedy.
At the scene of a school roof collapse in Pakistan
In the early hours of Wednesday, the roof of a primary school in Peshawar, Pakistan’s north‑western province, collapsed onto the crowded classroom below. The sudden collapse has now claimed the lives of at least 33 pupils and a teacher, according to hospital officials, while more than a dozen others sustained injuries ranging from mild to critical.
Police chief Mian Saeed, who arrived on the scene within minutes of the disaster, announced the arrest of the school’s owner. Saeed also promised a comprehensive inquiry into whether any building‑code violations contributed to the collapse, underscoring concerns about the rapid construction of educational facilities in the country.
Carrie Davis of the BBC reports from the chaos, describing frantic efforts by local volunteers and emergency services to clear debris and attend to the injured as the school’s rooftop shattered into jagged metal and concrete.
