Rescuers searched the rubble of a private school in Dir Colony while outlets gave differing death tolls and police arrested the owner.
A Peshawar school roof collapse on Thursday killed at least 27 students and a teacher at the Al Khair Education Center in Dir Colony, according to Reuters. Officials have not confirmed the cause. Other outlets report higher figures of up to 34 children dead, and rescue teams are still searching the rubble.
Peshawar School Roof Collapse: What Happened
Reuters reported that a rescue official said the roof of an upper floor fell onto the first floor roof, which then gave way onto students in class. The school stands in Dir Colony, a crowded area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Express Tribune reported that the building had three storeys and that narrow streets made rescue work difficult. A hospital spokesperson told the paper that 110 children were enrolled at the school.
Peshawar Roof Collapse Death Toll: Why Figures Differ
The Peshawar roof collapse death toll rose through the day. AFP, as published by Kuwait Times, cited 21 pupils and a teacher dead, with more than 30 injured. Al Jazeera, citing a hospital spokesman, reported at least 28 students and a teacher killed and more than 20 injured. CBS News reported at least 29 deaths in total. The Express Tribune reported at least 34 children and a teacher dead, with more than 50 injured.
Rescue 1122 and Lady Reading Hospital Response
Rescue 1122 said ambulances and disaster response vehicles were sent to the site and that teams were searching for more people under the debris. The South China Morning Post reported that 16 ambulances, two disaster response vehicles and more than 60 personnel were deployed. CBS News, citing Reuters, reported that district emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said rescuers had taken at least 45 children out of the building. Asim Khan of Lady Reading Hospital told AFP that six of the injured were believed to be in critical condition.
What Caused the Peshawar Roof Collapse?
No official cause has been announced. The Express Tribune reported that an official said the building had several deficiencies and that the roof slab was built with choka, which are thin, flat clay tiles or tapered bricks. The same paper reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked authorities for a detailed report and told them to determine the cause.
School Owner Arrested and Official Reaction
The South China Morning Post reported that Peshawar’s police chief said the school owner had been arrested. Sharif expressed “deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives”, AFP reported. President Asif Ali Zardari called the collapse a “heartbreaking tragedy”, according to the same South China Morning Post report.
Pakistan School Roof Collapse and Building Safety Record
The South China Morning Post noted that more than a dozen children died in June this year when a roof collapsed at a tutoring centre in Lahore. It added that 27 people were killed in 2025 when a five storey building collapsed in Karachi’s Lyari area.
FAQs
How many people died in the Peshawar school roof collapse?
Outlets reported between 28 and 35 dead on Thursday, including pupils and one teacher. Reuters reported 27 students and a teacher. The Express Tribune reported 34 children and a teacher.
Where did the Pakistan school roof collapse happen?
It happened at the Al Khair Education Center, a private school in Dir Colony, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
What caused the Peshawar roof collapse?
No official cause has been given. A rescue official told Reuters that an upper floor roof fell onto the first floor roof. An official told the Express Tribune that the building had several deficiencies.
Has the school owner been arrested?
Yes. The South China Morning Post reported that Peshawar’s police chief confirmed the arrest.
What are Rescue 1122 and Lady Reading Hospital doing?
Rescue 1122 teams are searching the debris, and the injured are being treated at Lady Reading Hospital, according to reports.