The death toll from the roof collapse at a tuition center in Lahore's Kahna Nau area rose to 14 on Tuesday, with Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir saying the children were received dead at a hospital.
The collapse occurred in the Qurban School area near Ferozepur Road, where the roof of a room at the tuition center gave way, trapping several children beneath the debris.
Rescue 1122 said an emergency caller initially reported that eight to 10 children had been buried under the rubble. Rescue vehicles and emergency personnel were dispatched immediately and launched an operation to pull the trapped children from the debris.
Officials said the collapsed roof had been constructed using a "T-iron girder" structure, which is suspected to have failed under load.
Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Faisal Kamran reached the scene shortly after the collapse and supervised the rescue operation. Police officers worked alongside Rescue 1122 teams and district administration officials to clear the debris and evacuate victims, while the DIG directed authorities to deploy all available resources.
The injured were shifted to THQ Kahna Hospital, where treatment continued. Faisal Kamran later visited the hospital, met the injured children and their families, offered condolences to the relatives of those killed and assured them of all possible support.
"We share the grief of the families of the children who lost their lives in this tragic incident," Faisal Kamran said.
Police said they had taken the building owner and one other person into custody as part of the initial investigation.
Authorities said investigators were collecting evidence to determine the cause of the collapse and identify those responsible.
"Legal action will be taken against those found responsible without discrimination after completing all legal requirements," Faisal Kamran said.
He added that Lahore Police remained in close coordination with relevant departments, was examining every aspect of the incident and was providing legal, administrative and humanitarian assistance to the affected families while deploying all available resources to respond to the emergency.
According to ARY News, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir said that 14 children were received dead at the hospital, raising the confirmed death toll from the incident.
*This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly
Comments
See what people are discussing