Agencies | Lahore:
At least 14 children were killed and five others injured after the roof of a tuition centre collapsed in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday, officials said.
According to the Edhi ambulance service, the incident occurred in Basti Eid Gah in the Kahna area, south of Lahore. “A roof collapse in Basti Eid Gah, Kahna Nau, has claimed the lives of 14 children, while five others were injured,” an Edhi spokesperson said.
Lahore Commissioner Marryam Khan confirmed the death toll and said a teacher also sustained injuries in the incident.
Television footage showed rescue personnel and local residents digging through the debris with shovels and bare hands in a desperate effort to locate those trapped beneath the partially collapsed structure.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, while Punjab Police said two persons had been taken into custody in connection with the collapse.
Medical officials said the children who lost their lives were between four and 12 years of age. The injured children are undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
Expressing grief over the tragedy, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and directed authorities to provide the best possible medical care to the injured.
Police said evidence was being collected from the site, while Commissioner Marryam Khan assured that a transparent, impartial and time-bound investigation would identify those responsible for the tragedy.
Building and roof collapses are a recurring problem in Pakistan, largely attributed to poor construction standards, substandard building materials and weak enforcement of safety regulations.
In July last year, at least 27 people were killed and 10 others injured when a five-storey residential building collapsed in Karachi’s Lyari area.
