School Roof Collapse in Peshawar Kills at Least 29, Mostly Children

At least 28 children and a female teacher were killed Thursday morning when the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, authorities said. The death toll could rise.

Heavy overnight rainfall left the roof of Al-Khair Public School in the city's Dir Colony unstable, Bilal Ahmed of the local rescue service told CNN. The building gave way while students were in class.

Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed blamed a weak structure and an overweight roof. More than 110 students were inside three classrooms at the time, he said.

Rescue crews pulled bloodied children from the rubble as ambulances rushed through the narrow streets outside the school. Emergency officials sent 16 ambulances, two disaster-response vehicles and more than 60 personnel to the scene. Residents were among the first to reach the school.

Forty-seven children were injured, Asim Khan of Lady Reading Hospital told CNN. Several were in critical condition. The victims were all 13 or younger, hospital spokesman Mohammad Asim said, and six girls were among the dead.

An injured teacher, Mahwish Zaman, told The Associated Press the school enrolled about 1,200 students, nursery through fifth grade. She was in her classroom when the roof fell. “I felt as if the sky had fallen,” she said. She regained consciousness in the hospital.

Hours after the collapse, rescue officials said everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out. Earlier, officials had feared more children were still buried.

Owner arrested, inquiry ordered

Police arrested the school's owner and opened an inquiry into possible negligence. Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir said the city would survey all private school buildings to check their safety.

Provincial education secretary Inayatullah Waseem ordered a report on the collapse within 24 hours.

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed sorrow over the deaths and sought a report on the cause. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered condolences to the families. President Asif Ali Zardari called the collapse a “heart-wrenching tragedy” and ordered a comprehensive investigation.

Building collapses are a common problem in Pakistan. Construction standards are often poorly enforced, and many structures are built with substandard materials, CNN reported.

The collapse came weeks after a fire tore through a hospital nursery in Islamabad, killing at least 14 newborns and setting off widespread anger and multiple arrests.