At least 14 children died and eight others were injured when the roof of a tutoring center collapsed Tuesday in Lahore, Pakistan, police and rescue officials said. The center was under construction in an aging building, and the roof of an unfinished second floor is believed to have failed due to poor construction quality.
Rescuers continued to search the rubble for potential survivors, while the owner of the tutoring center and another person have been arrested, according to senior police official Faisal Kamran. Many of the victims lived in the neighborhood where the private tutoring center was located in a house on the outskirts of the city.
Scenes of grief and anger unfolded outside local hospitals and in the community as bodies were handed over to families. Residents joined in the rescue efforts, using shovels and their hands to clear debris. Some mourned the loss of children, while others expressed anger, demanding punishment for the owner, whom they accused of operating in an unsafe building.
Building collapses are a frequent occurrence in Pakistan, often attributed to substandard materials and the lax enforcement of construction safety regulations aimed at reducing costs. Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, sees many parents enroll their children in afternoon and evening private tutoring centers.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan issued statements expressing their sorrow over the incident. They offered condolences to the victims' families, wished for the swift recovery of those injured, and emphasized the need for effective safety measures to prevent future tragedies.