Peshawar school roof collapse kills at least 27 pupils and a teacher, officials say

Update (15 Oct 2026): The reported death toll has risen from at least 17 students and one teacher to at least 27 pupils and one teacher, and some reports put it at 29. An investigation into the cause has been ordered, and Peshawar's police chief said the school's owner has been arrested, according to NPR.

At least 27 pupils and one teacher were killed when the roof of a school collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Thursday, 15 October 2026. That figure comes from officials cited by DW, France 24, Daily Sabah and the South China Morning Post (SCMP). NPR and Al Jazeera, citing a hospital spokesman, report at least 28 children or students and one teacher killed. The exact toll is disputed, with reported figures ranging from 28 to 29 dead (see below). Earlier reports by The Hindu, Reuters and the Associated Press (AP), citing officials, had put the toll at at least 17 students and one teacher.

Injury figures vary by outlet, from more than 20 to more than 50. Peshawar is in northwestern Pakistan. It is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The school was privately run and located in a congested area of Peshawar, NPR and Al Jazeera reported. It occupied a three-story building, according to DW and NPR. Al Jazeera named it as the Al-Khair Education Centre.

Rescue and treatment

The dead and injured were brought to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, DW reported. NPR, Al Jazeera and SCMP reported that the hospital declared an emergency to treat the wounded. The Hindu had earlier attributed this to hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim.

Some of the injured were in critical condition, according to NPR, Al Jazeera, France 24, Daily Sabah and SCMP. Six of the injured were believed to be in critical condition, according to Asim Khan of Lady Reading Hospital. France 24 and Daily Sabah credit this figure to AFP; SCMP carries identical wording without crediting an agency.

NPR reported that six girls were among the dead and that the teacher who died was female. Injured teacher Mahwish Zaman told AP, in reporting carried by NPR, that she was in her classroom when the roof collapsed and regained consciousness in hospital.

Rescue workers searched the rubble for children feared trapped, DW, NPR, Al Jazeera, Daily Sabah and SCMP reported. Rescue 1122 deployed 16 ambulances, two disaster response vehicles and more than 60 personnel to the site, according to spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi, as reported by Daily Sabah. "When the Rescue 1122 emergency response teams arrived at the scene, they found that one roof had collapsed on to another, causing the classroom below to be crushed and trapping children inside," Faizi said, according to Daily Sabah. SCMP's text matches this AFP-credited wording.

"We have taken out at least 45 children," district emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said, according to DW. Earlier, The Hindu reported that rescue officials said 25 injured children had been taken to medical facilities.

Heavy machinery could not reach the site, so locals and rescue teams used buckets and utensils to remove debris, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Kamal Hyder. Residents were among the first to reach the school, and rescue workers arrived within minutes of being alerted, witnesses told NPR.

Faizi said there were "concerns that more children may still be trapped beneath the rubble," according to Daily Sabah. NPR later reported that, hours after the collapse, rescue officials said everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews were clearing debris. No other outlet reviewed by Vocemundi reports this.

What is disputed

Death toll. Reports give two figures:

• At least 27 pupils and one teacher (28 in total), according to officials in Peshawar cited by DW, and to hospital official Asim Khan cited by AFP (via France 24 and Daily Sabah). SCMP carries the same figure.
• At least 28 children or students and one teacher (29 in total), according to hospital spokesman Mohammad Asim, cited by NPR and Al Jazeera.

Number of injured. DW reported more than 40 injured. France 24 and SCMP reported more than 30, and Daily Sabah reported 30. NPR reported more than 50, and Al Jazeera more than 20. Earlier, AP reported more than three dozen injured, while The Hindu, citing Peshawar Capital City Police chief Mian Saeed, reported more than 40.

Ages of the children killed. Reports differ slightly, though all say the children were young.

• According to The Hindu, Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim said all the children killed were aged 13 or younger. A hospital spokesman cited by NPR and Al Jazeera also said 13 or younger.
• According to Reuters, a local hospital spokesperson said all the students killed were below the age of 13. DW, citing officials, also said under 13.

School enrollment. An injured teacher put enrollment at about 1,200. NPR reported an estimated 1,200 students, from nursery through fifth grade, and DW reported more than 1,200 pupils and staff. "This particular school has about 350 registered students," Al Jazeera correspondent Kamal Hyder said.

Location. The Hindu, citing police chief Mian Saeed, said the collapse happened in Dir Colony, in Peshawar's inner city area. DW reported that the school is in the Afridi Abad area. The reports do not make clear how these descriptions relate.

What each side says

Peshawar police chief Saeed Ahmed said the building was structurally weak and that the school's owner had been arrested, according to NPR. The reports do not make clear whether he is the same official The Hindu identified as police chief Mian Saeed.

Authorities said an investigation had been ordered into the cause of the collapse, Al Jazeera reported. NPR reported that the cause was under investigation and that the provincial government formed a committee to investigate. DW reported that the cause was not immediately clear.

President Asif Ali Zardari called the collapse a "heartbreaking tragedy," according to Daily Sabah. He called for a comprehensive investigation and stressed the need to ensure school buildings meet safety standards, NPR reported. "The entire nation shares the grief of the affected families in this hour of sorrow," he said, according to NPR. Daily Sabah rendered the statement with slightly different wording.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed "deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives," according to a statement reported by Daily Sabah. "The Prime Minister extends his condolences to the bereaved families and prays for them to have the strength and patience to bear this irreparable loss," his office said, according to Daily Sabah. The Hindu reported earlier that he directed authorities to provide the injured with the best possible medical treatment.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar posted condolences on X, according to Al Jazeera. "The prime minister and the government have taken serious note of the situation. Ensuring the safety and protection of our children must remain paramount," he wrote.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi sought a report on the cause of the collapse from the relevant authorities, NPR reported. He also directed officials to provide the best possible medical care to the injured. Provincial government spokeswoman Samar Haroon Bilour said the government had directed hospitals to provide prompt care and praised rescue workers' response, according to NPR. She said the government was using all available resources to reach those trapped.

Resident Sher Ahmed blamed "substandard construction materials," according to Daily Sabah. "I urge the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and take strict action against anyone found responsible so that such tragedies can be prevented in the future," he said.

What is not yet known

The cause of the collapse has not been officially determined. The reports describe no findings from the investigation. They do not identify the school's owner, describe any charges or include a response from the owner. They do not describe the school's registration status, building approvals or safety inspection history.

The reports do not give the time of the collapse or say how many pupils and staff were in the building. Final death and injury tolls remain unclear. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder said: "The casualties are likely to rise." Only NPR reports that everyone trapped had been pulled out.

The reports also do not make clear whether the Lady Reading Hospital officials named as Asim Khan (AFP), Mohammad Asim (NPR, Al Jazeera) and Muhammad Asim (The Hindu) are the same person.

France 24 and Daily Sabah both credit AFP, and NPR carries AP reporting. DW, Al Jazeera, which uses its own correspondent, and SCMP do not credit an agency. However, SCMP's text matches AFP's wording, and parts of Al Jazeera's text match NPR's AP reporting, so the number of independent sources may be as low as three. Vocemundi's earlier coverage drew on The Hindu, which attributed its reporting to police, hospital and rescue officials, and on summaries of Reuters and AP reports.

Analysis

The death toll has risen sharply since first reports, from at least 17 students and a teacher to at least 27 pupils and a teacher, and possibly 29 in total. The broad account is consistent across outlets, but figures still differ, and the number of truly independent sources is smaller than the number of outlets. The central question remains why the roof failed. The police chief has described the building as structurally weak and said the owner has been arrested, a resident has blamed substandard materials, and Rescue 1122 said one roof collapsed onto another. No official cause has been determined, however. President Zardari has stressed the need for school buildings to meet safety standards. The investigation's findings, along with any details about the school's approvals and inspections, could shape debate over building safety at private schools. That debate already has background: DW and NPR both reported a roof collapse at a building under construction in Lahore in July, though their accounts of it differ. The large gap between enrollment figures of about 1,200 and about 350 is unresolved. Differences in casualty counts may reflect the timing of each report.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.