14 children dead in Lahore tuition centre roof collapse

Dubai: At least 14 children died on Tuesday, while several others injured, when the roof of a tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area, police said.

Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran confirmed to Dawn that 14 deaths have been reported. According to an earlier list of deceased provided by Lahore General Hospital, eight of the children were aged between five and 16 years.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir said 19 injured children were taken to Kahna Hospital after the collapse. Fourteen of them died, while five remain under treatment, according to Geo News.

Rescue officials said more than 30 children were inside the private tuition centre when the roof collapsed. Police said construction work was underway on the building’s upper floor while classes were being held on the ground floor.

Rescue operations concluded by 7pm, Lahore Police said in a statement.

Police have taken two people into custody, including the building owner and the contractor who recently carried out construction work on the house, Geo news said.

Many in critical condition

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kamran said investigators were collecting evidence and vowed strict action against anyone found responsible for negligence. He added that labourers were working on the under-construction portion of the building when the roof gave way.

Earlier, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said many of the trapped children were in critical condition. “The children are very young in age, and there were two rooms in use. The ceilings collapsed and trapped the children,” he told Dawn News.

The Edhi rescue service said preliminary information indicated the collapsed roof had been built using TR girders, Dawn reported.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed police and district authorities to identify those responsible and initiate criminal proceedings.

Lahore District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Tariq Mahmood said the building housed a private tuition centre run by a local woman.

Health authorities declared an emergency at nearby Lahore General Hospital, mobilising doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to treat the injured children without delay.

Initial reports indicated that 30 to 35 children were inside the tuition centre when the roof collapsed.