Pakistan school collapse kills almost 30 students and a teacher

Key points

• Almost 30 students and a teacher were killed Thursday when a private school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan.
• At least 29 people died in total at the Al-Khair Education Center in Peshawar's southwest Dir district.
• A police official said ongoing roof construction may have overweighted the weak structure, causing the collapse.

Almost 30 students and a teacher were killed Thursday when the roof of a private school collapsed in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, local officials said. The collapse occurred at the Al-Khair Education Center in Peshawar's southwest Dir district, according to hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim and other local officials.

The bodies of 17 children were brought to Lady Reading Hospital, along with the body of a female teacher, Asim told CBS News. He added that some survivors were admitted in critical condition. At least 29 people were killed in total, according to Asim and other local officials.

Cause remains unconfirmed

The cause of the disaster remained unconfirmed. A witness told CBS News the building appeared "not suitable" for use as a school, and a local police official said ongoing construction on the roof could have overweighted the structure.

Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed said, according to Reuters, that the building was weak and its roof was overweight with construction, which caused the collapse.

The parents and families were in unbearable pain. The street was extremely narrow, which made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site quickly.

— Zahir Hussain

Rescue efforts and witness accounts

District emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said at least 45 children were taken out, according to Reuters. Teacher Mahwish Zaman, who was injured and regained consciousness in her hospital bed, told the Associated Press the school had about 1,200 students enrolled and she was in her class when the roof collapsed, describing it as feeling as if the sky had fallen.

Zahir Hussain, who lives a couple of blocks away, told CBS News he saw people running onto the street as he walked to work. He said first-period classes had just started and the building was overcrowded when the collapse occurred. He noted the school was in a small residential building on a narrow street, mainly serving children from low-income families, with signage indicating classes for both boys and girls. He said the narrow street made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site quickly.