At least 45 people suffered major and minor injuries.
At least 32 children and a teacher have been killed after the roof of a school collapsed during morning classes in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, on October 15, 2026.
Rescue workers spent several hours searching through the rubble of the privately run Al-Khair Education Centre, where students were attending lessons when the building gave way.
Police and rescue officials confirmed the deaths, while at least 45 people suffered major and minor injuries.
Most of the children killed were under the age of 13. Relatives gathered outside the damaged school, anxiously waiting for news as emergency crews carried injured pupils to ambulances.
According to rescue officials, a roof on an upper floor collapsed onto classrooms below, causing two storeys of the building to crumple.
Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed said the building had a weak structure and that construction on the roof had placed additional weight on it, contributing to the collapse.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:48 am local time, with the rescue operation continuing for four to five hours.
Mohammad Asim, a spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed that the fatalities included 12 girls and a female teacher.
Three children were in critical condition with head injuries, while most of the 20 injured people taken to the hospital had received treatment and been discharged.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the collapse, and police have arrested the school’s owner.
Relatives of the victims accused the school of ignoring concerns about the building’s condition and called for those responsible to face justice.
Mohammad Zaman, who lost two nephews in the incident, urged authorities to take strong action against those responsible.
He called for the incident to serve as a warning against operating schools without providing safe buildings and adequate facilities.
Saeed expressed fears that the death toll could rise, reporting that only 47 of the 110 students present in three classrooms at the time had been rescued.
There was no immediate comment from school officials following the incident.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the tragedy and offered condolences to the families of the victims, according to a statement from his office.
The investigation is expected to examine the condition of the building and the circumstances that led to the roof collapsing during school hours.
The tragedy has renewed calls for accountability and greater attention to building safety in schools to protect children and staff.
