At least 33 people, including 32 students and a teacher, died when the roof of Al‑Khair School collapsed in Peshawar’s Afridi Abad area on Thursday.
Key Facts of the Collapse
- 33 fatalities: 32 students (ages 7‑14) and one female teacher.
- 20 children injured; three with serious head injuries still in treatment.
- Rescue operations completed; all debris cleared, no further casualties on site.
- Governor Faisal Karim Kundi ordered a province‑wide structural safety audit of schools.
- Fact‑finding committee formed by the Elementary and Secondary Education Department to investigate causes.
- Rescue teams used all available resources, including traffic police to establish a green corridor for ambulances.
- The incident is part of a series of roof collapses across Pakistan, raising concerns about construction standards.
Why the Roof Fell
Investigators say the roof was overloaded and built on a weak structure. Earlier reports highlight a pattern of unsafe construction in Pakistani schools, with several similar incidents in 2024‑25, including collapses in Umerkot, Lahore, and Dera Ghazi Khan.
What Comes Next for School Safety
The audit will review all educational buildings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the government has pledged to enforce stricter building codes. National leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Zardari, have called for comprehensive safety reforms and immediate medical support for the injured. The incident may prompt new legislation on school construction and regular inspections to prevent future tragedies.