Peshawar school collapse kills 21 children, teacher as rescue efforts continue
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- Alishba Khattak | Tariq Waheed | Anwar Zeb
- October 15, 2026
PESHAWAR: At least 22 people, including 21 children and a female teacher, were killed when a private school building collapsed in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, hospital authorities said on Thursday. About 40 injured people have been shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH).
Authorities fear more people may be trapped under the rubble, and the death toll could rise. Rescue 1122 teams are continuing search and rescue operations at the site, while the injured are being taken to hospitals.
How the building collapsed
HUM News’ Peshawar bureau chief said the school is on Ring Road in Dir Colony. The building had only one storey, but additional rooms had been built on its roof.
Children in grades six and seven were reportedly among those worst affected, believed to be aged between 11 and 14. The number of children in the affected classrooms at the time could not be confirmed.
The bureau chief said the building was in poor condition and may have been weakened further by recent rains. The cause of the collapse has not been independently confirmed.
Leaders express grief
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and offered condolences to the families of the children who died. He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and directed authorities to provide them with medical assistance and speed up rescue operations.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also expressed grief, offering condolences and sympathy over the loss of the children and the teacher. “My heart is saddened by the loss of the children,” he said, adding that he shared equally in the grief of the bereaved families.
Adviser on Information Samar Haroon Bilour said the news of innocent children being injured was deeply distressing. “We share the pain and grief of our people in this difficult hour,” she said. She said the injured must receive the best possible medical care without delay, and called for rescue operations to be accelerated with all available resources to safely recover those trapped under the debris.
Earlier collapse in Lahore
On June 30, 14 children died when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in the Kahna suburb of Lahore. Most of those recovered were between seven and 11 years old, and about five others were thought to be injured. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif called it a “heartbreaking tragedy”.
This is a developing story
