Massacre of children in Pakistan. The roof of a school located in the city of Peshawar, in the north-west of the country, collapsed while morning lessons were in progress, overwhelming the children who were in the classroom at the time. The toll, unfortunately provisional, is already dramatic: at least 32 students and a teacher lost their lives in the collapse. According to Arif Khattak, regional director of the Rescue Department, 45 people were injured, including some in serious conditions. Most of the students killed were under the age of 13.
The collapse during lessons
The collapse occurred today morning, Thursday 15 October: the roof collapsed onto several classrooms below, involving at least two floors of the building. Rescuers dug through the rubble for a long time, while the conditions of some injured students remain critical, as explained to Reuters by Mohammad Asim, spokesperson for the Lady Reading Hospital: “There are very serious children, with head trauma and several injuries. At least 20 people have already been treated and discharged.”
Pakistan, the roof of a school collapses in Peshawar (Photo LaPresse)
Pakistan, the roof of a school collapses in Peshawar (Photo LaPresse)
“It was a weak building structure,” explained Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed. “The roof was overloaded due to construction on a fragile structure, which caused the collapse. The owner of the school was arrested and the authorities opened an investigation.”
The anger of family members
The students’ families have accused the school of ignoring concerns about the conditions of the building and are now demanding justice: “Make them an example – Mohammad Zaman, who lost two grandchildren in the collapse – told Reuters – a lesson for everyone, so that no one opens a school just to make money without providing the necessary facilities”.
At the moment there has been no comment from school officials, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and “great sorrow” for this terrible tragedy.