14 children dead in Lahore tuition centre roof collapse: police

LAHORE: As many as 14 children lost their lives on Tuesday, while several others were 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.

In a statement issued at 7pm, Lahore Police said rescue efforts have concluded.

The statement added that two individuals, including the house owner, have been taken into custody as part of the initial investigation.

It quoted the DIG as saying that evidence was being collected and strict action would be taken against those found guilty of negligence.

DIG Kamran said the contractor who constructed the house recently was among those arrested. He noted that a part of the house was under construction, and labourers were busy at work when the roof collapsed.

An earlier statement by the Rescue 1122 spokesperson said that its team on the spot reported that the condition of the trapped children was critical.

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

A statement by the Edhi rescue service, which was also taking part in the rescue operation, said that the roof of a residence’s room “collapsed suddenly”. It said preliminary information indicated that the collapsed roof had been constructed using TR girders.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed the police and district government authorities to determine the role of those individual(s) found responsible for the roof collapse, and consequently the deaths, for criminal proceedings.

Lahore District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tariq Mahmood said the building housed a private tuition centre and was run by a woman resident of the area.

The health authorities declared an emergency at the nearby Lahore General Hospital, directing the relevant senior administration officials, doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to attend to the injured children being brought there without any delay.

According to initial reports, around 30 to 35 children were present at the site when the incident occurred.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters. ...