Web Desk: A roof collapse at a tuition centre in the Kahna area of Lahore killed 14 children and injured several others on Tuesday, officials and rescue authorities said.
Rescue officials said the roof of a tuition academy on Kuchwana Road collapsed while around 35 students were inside the classroom. As a result, more than two dozen children were initially trapped under debris. Rescue 1122 teams, supported by local residents, reached the site shortly after the incident and began clearing rubble to retrieve survivors.
Authorities said the structure gave way suddenly while classes were in session, reducing the classroom to a pile of debris. Rescue operations continued for several hours as emergency teams searched for those trapped.
Hospital sources confirmed that 14 children died as a result of the collapse. The victims included students aged between four and 12 years. The injured were transferred to nearby hospitals, where several remain in critical condition, while others are receiving treatment and some have been declared out of danger.
Authorities declared emergencies in nearby hospitals on the direction of the provincial health minister to ensure immediate treatment for the injured. Medical teams continued to attend to patients as they arrived.
Police said they have arrested two people in connection with the incident, including the owner of the building where the tuition centre was operating. Investigators have launched a probe into possible negligence and structural failure, while further arrests have not been ruled out.
Officials are examining whether building safety regulations were followed and how the structure was being used for educational purposes.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from authorities. She expressed grief over the loss of young lives and directed officials to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured.
Health Minister Punjab Khawaja Imran Nazeer confirmed that 19 children were brought to Kahna Hospital, with five currently under treatment.
Hospital sources identified the deceased children as:
- Abdullah, son of Mustafa, 8
- Salman, son of Wasim, 8
- Urooj, daughter of Mustafa, 9
- Mahnoor, daughter of Farooq, 8
- Tashbiha, daughter of Shahzada, 7
- Fawad, son of Muhammad Abid, 8
- Iman Fatima, daughter of Mustafa, 11
- Khadija, daughter of Wasim, 12
- Urooj, daughter of Murtaza, 6
- Ramtsha, aged 6
- Ali, son of Farman, 6
- Arham, son of Hassan Ali, 8
- Dua, daughter of Gulfam, 7
- Abdullah, son of Asghar, 7
Local residents said children were attending classes when the roof collapsed without warning. Rescue operations were still underway as authorities continued clearing debris and supporting survivors.
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