Pakistan: at least 28 dead after school roof collapses in Peshawar

Pakistan: at least 28 dead after school roof collapses in Peshawar

At least 27 pupils and a teacher have died, and more than fifty were injured, after a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, north-western Pakistan; it is feared that more children are still trapped beneath the rubble. The disaster occurred on 15 October at the private Al-Khair school, shortly after lessons began. Emergency officials said the roof of an upstairs classroom collapsed onto the classroom below, causing both floors to give way. The building reportedly had temporary construction features and prefabricated roofing slabs rather than conventional reinforced concrete. Rescue efforts were hampered by the narrow street leading to the school, although local residents helped search for survivors. The school's owner has been arrested, and the governor has ordered safety inspections of schools throughout the province. In a similar incident in June, fourteen children died after the roof of a private tuition centre near Lahore collapsed: see