LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A tragic incident occurred in Lahore, Pakistan, where 14 schoolchildren lost their lives when the roof of a tutoring center collapsed. The catastrophic event took place on a Tuesday, prompting a large gathering of mourners on Wednesday for the burial of the young victims, aged up to 14 years old. In addition to the fatalities, eight other children sustained injuries and were reported to be in stable condition after being hospitalized.
Authorities are currently conducting an investigation to determine whether negligence during ongoing construction work contributed to the collapse of the roofing at the tutoring center. Preliminary police findings and testimonies from local residents suggest that the center was operating within an aging structure. Investigators suspect that the unfinished roof on the second floor may have given way due to substandard construction practices.
Following the incident, law enforcement officials arrested at least two individuals, including the owner of the building, as they attempt to assess accountability. Senior police official Kamran Faisal indicated that apparent negligence on the part of the owner and construction workers may have played a significant role in the disaster. Faisal stated, “We are still investigating to determine exactly whose negligence resulted in this tragic incident.”
The funeral prayers for the deceased children commenced before dawn and continued into the morning. Most of the victims were interred in a local graveyard, while some families expressed intentions to return the bodies to their native towns for burial. Ambulances transported the bodies overnight to homes in Kahna, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Lahore. The cries of grieving family members and friends filled the neighborhood as they mourned together.
Among the mourners was Mohammad Ashfaq, a laborer who tragically lost both his 7-year-old son and nephew in the roof collapse. As he wept, he shared, “I cannot express my pain and grief in words,” while relatives attempted to provide comfort. Another father, Muhammad Farooq, recounted the events leading to the disaster when his young daughter went to her tutoring class around 4 p.m. He received the devastating news shortly after that the roof of the center had collapsed, and many children were trapped beneath the debris.
Local resident Mohammad Tahir noted that neighbors were the first to respond to the crisis, risking their own safety to help rescue the children. He recounted, “Rescuers arrived quickly, but before they reached us, neighbors rushed in with shovels and even dug through the debris with their bare hands.” Despite their desperate efforts, many children could not be saved.
The event has sparked public outrage, with many residents attributing blame to the owner of the tutoring center for operating classes in a dilapidated and unsafe building, particularly while construction was underway. The residents' grief has transformed into anger, as calls for strict punishment for those deemed responsible grow louder. One resident expressed the overwhelming emotions felt by the community, stating, “We don’t know whose funeral to attend first or whose home to visit first to offer condolences.”
Building collapses are a common occurrence in Pakistan, often attributed to poorly enforced construction standards, use of substandard materials, and a blatant disregard for safety regulations. This tragic incident stands as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities present within the country’s infrastructure and the dire consequences that can arise from negligence in construction practices.
