Highlights
- Fourteen children were killed and five others injured when a tutoring centre roof collapsed in Lahore
- Officials said the centre was operating from an unregistered private house with a deteriorating roof
- Police have detained two people as authorities investigate possible negligence and safety violations
FOURTEEN children were killed after the roof of a tutoring centre collapsed in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Tuesday (30), prompting an investigation into possible negligence and renewed concerns over building safety.
Rescue officials said the roof of the private after-school centre gave way in Basti Eid Gah, Kahna Nau, an area in the south of Lahore in Punjab province. Five children and a female teacher were injured in the collapse.
According to Punjab's emergency service, rescuers pulled children and the teacher from the rubble of the building. Medical officials said the children who died were aged between five and 16, with most younger than nine.
Witnesses said workers had been repairing roof tiles while children were attending lessons inside the building.
"The roof was in poor shape," 45-year-old Zaheer, whose niece was among those killed, told AFP. "They were repairing the tiles while the children were studying. Suddenly the roof collapsed on top of quite a few children."
Television footage showed rescue workers, police officers and local residents digging through the debris with spades and their hands in an effort to find survivors. Grieving relatives gathered outside as the bodies of the children, covered in white sheets, were brought out.
Police to investigate possible negligence and safety violations
Punjab information minister Azma Bokhari said preliminary findings showed the tutoring centre was unregistered and operating from a privately owned residential building with a deteriorating roof. Such tutoring centres are common across Pakistan, where many children attend extra classes after school.
Police said they had taken two people into custody and were collecting evidence at the scene.
Lahore commissioner Marryam Khan said a transparent and immediate investigation would identify those responsible.
"If negligence, carelessness or any violation of the law is established, those responsible will face strict legal action," Bokhari said.
She added that the Punjab government had ordered a survey of unsafe buildings before the monsoon season and planned stricter rules for unregistered tutoring centres and other private educational facilities.
Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed grief over the deaths, directed authorities to provide the injured with the best possible medical treatment and offered condolences to the bereaved families.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed sorrow and called for stronger safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.
Building and roof collapses are relatively common in Pakistan due to poor construction standards, ageing structures, and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Last July, a five-storey residential building collapsed in Karachi's Lyari area, killing 27 people and injuring 10 others.
(with inputs from agencies)
