At least 33 children and a teacher have died after a school roof collapsed in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Burying pupils beneath rubble as lessons were underway.
More than a dozen others were injured, some critically.
Rescuers rushed to Al-Khair private school in Dir Colony on Thursday morning.
The roof of an upper-floor classroom gave way, sending debris crashing through classrooms below and trapping children across three floors.
Local residents joined the rescue effort, using shovels and their bare hands to pull pupils from the wreckage.
One nearby teacher said he personally rescued six children, many of whom initially appeared alive but later died.
Police chief Mian Saeed said the building had substandard roof slabs and was overloaded beyond its safe capacity.
Calls For School Safety Accountability
Authorities arrested the school’s owner and promised to investigate possible building-code violations.
But how could a place meant to protect children become so dangerous?
Families grieving their losses demanded accountability.
Mohammad Zaman, who lost two nephews, told Reuters: “Make an example of them, a lesson for all.”
The tragedy has prompted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s governor to order safety inspections across the province’s schools.
It also follows other deadly incidents involving unsafe buildings, including a tuition-centre roof collapse near Lahore in June.
As investigators examine what went wrong, the urgent question is whether stronger inspections and enforcement could prevent another preventable disaster.
