Lahore: At least 14 children have been killed after the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in the Kahna suburb near Lahore, Pakistan, in one of the country’s deadliest building accidents involving schoolchildren.
According to emergency officials, the incident occurred, when the roof of the building suddenly gave way while children were attending classes. Rescue teams rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at around 4:45pm local time and completed the operation within an hour.
Farooq Ahmed, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, said most of the victims were between seven and 11 years old. Young children under the age of 10 were among those pulled from the rubble. At least five others were injured and are receiving medical treatment.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the collapse, with two people taken into custody as part of the initial inquiry. Local residents alleged the building was in poor condition. Another resident described the scale of the tragedy, saying families across the neighbourhood had been devastated by the loss.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and directed authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif described the incident as a ‘heartbreaking tragedy’, saying the loss of 14 innocent children was an immeasurable sorrow.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif pledged strict action against those responsible, stating that every individual found accountable would face the full force of the law. The investigation is ongoing as officials work to determine the exact cause of the collapse and whether negligence contributed to the tragedy.
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