At least 30 people, including 29 students and a teacher, were killed when the roof of a private school collapsed during classes in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, on Thursday, as rescue teams searched the rubble for survivors.

The collapse occurred at the Al-Khair Education Center in the city’s Dir Colony, trapping students beneath debris when the roof of an upper floor gave way and crushed the floors below.

Local reports said at least 52 people were injured, while authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continued. Most of the student victims were aged 13 or younger.

Rescue workers and emergency personnel rushed to the scene, using heavy machinery and working alongside local residents to pull trapped children from the rubble.

District emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said rescuers had recovered at least 45 children, while additional students were feared trapped beneath the debris.

The injured were transported to hospitals, including Lady Reading Hospital, where an emergency was declared to accommodate the casualties.

Peshawar police chief Mian Saeed said the building’s weak structure may have contributed to the collapse, explaining that the weight of construction on an upper floor had placed excessive pressure on the structure below.

Authorities have ordered an investigation to establish the precise cause of the disaster and determine whether construction standards or safety requirements were violated.

The school administration had not immediately issued a public statement.

The incident has raised renewed concerns over building safety and the protection of children in educational facilities. A similar roof collapse at a private tutoring centre in Lahore in June killed 14 children and a teacher, according to earlier reports.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of life and called for the injured to receive the best possible medical treatment.

Zardari also called for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse and assistance for the affected families.

Provincial authorities have directed officials to determine the cause of the incident and ensure that injured students receive urgent medical care.

Rescue operations and efforts to establish the final casualty toll were continuing as of Thursday, with families anxiously awaiting news of children who had been inside the classrooms when the building collapsed. (ILKHA)