School roof collapse in Pakistan kills 17 students and teacher

A severe tragedy occurred in the city of Peshawar, located in northwestern Pakistan. The unexpected collapse of a school building's roof resulted in the death of at least 18 people, while dozens of others sustained injuries of varying severity.

Local authorities and rescue services immediately launched large-scale search and rescue operations at the scene.

Victims and injured: The scale of the tragedy

Official information regarding the details of the disaster was provided by the central «Lady Reading Hospital» (LRH) in Peshawar:

• Number of fatalities: According to LRH hospital spokesman Muhammad Asim, the collapse resulted in the deaths of 17 school students and one teacher at the scene and in the hospital;

• Over 30 injured: More than 30 victims were rushed to the hospital with injuries of varying severity;

• State of emergency: Due to a sharp influx of injured people into the medical facility, an official state of emergency was declared, mobilizing all doctors and nurses.

Search operations continue under the rubble

Operations involving local administration, rescuers, and volunteers are ongoing at the scene:

• Rescue operation: Search and rescue efforts to extract other children and staff trapped under the collapsed heavy structures and rubble are continuing;

• Investigation: An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the roof collapse — whether it was due to old structures, construction flaws, or adverse weather conditions.