14 children killed in Lahore after the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in the city’s Kahna area on Wednesday, leaving several others injured.
Punjab Health Minister confirmed that 14 children died in the incident. Rescue officials said around 20 to 25 people, including a female teacher and mostly young children, were inside the academy when the roof gave way.
Rescue teams reached the scene shortly after receiving the emergency call at around 4:45pm. They launched a search operation and pulled children from beneath the rubble. Authorities had initially feared the death toll could rise.
Residents said the building operated as a school in the morning and as a private tuition centre later in the day. Children were attending classes when the roof collapsed.
Police said construction work was underway on the upper floor while classes were being held on the ground floor. The owner of the building and another person were taken into custody soon after the incident.
Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Faisal Kamran said the roof was structurally weak and built with girders. He added that recent rainfall had further weakened the building. Police confirmed that 14 children lost their lives and nine others were injured, while five people have been detained for investigation.
Rescue officials said the operation has been completed after recovering 20 children from the debris. Six injured children were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said the tuition centre was operating inside a residential house with a deteriorating roof. She said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was personally monitoring the situation and directed authorities to ensure immediate rescue and medical assistance.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of young lives. He offered condolences to the bereaved families and directed authorities to provide the best possible treatment to the injured.