ISLAMABAD, October 15, 2026 (DAILYNWZ) — At least 27 students and one teacher were killed on Thursday when a school roof collapsed during classes in Peshawar, northern Pakistan, authorities said, warning that the death toll could rise as rescuers searched the rubble for survivors.
Most of the victims were brought dead to Lady Reading Hospital, where 20 other people were treated for injuries, hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim said.
The collapse occurred at the private Al-Khair Education Center in Dir Colony, a neighborhood in Peshawar. Most of the students killed were under 13, according to authorities.
Rescue teams were working to recover bodies and transport the injured to hospitals, government official Bilal Faizi said.
A rescue official said the roof of an upper floor had collapsed onto the roof of the first floor, which then gave way and fell on students attending classes below.
“We have so far taken out at least 45 children from the rubble,” district emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said, adding that more children were believed to remain trapped.
Television footage showed ambulances rushing to the scene as rescue workers pulled bloodied children from the debris.
The authorities had not provided a final account of the number of people inside the school when the collapse occurred. Rescue operations were continuing, and officials feared the death toll could increase as teams searched the wreckage.