A devastating incident occurred on Saturday afternoon in the Farooq-e-Azam area of Sukheke Mandi, Hafizabad district, Punjab, when the roof of a private academy collapsed during a tuition session.

At least seven people, including five children, tragically lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries.

According to Hafizabad District Police Officer (DPO) Atif Nazir Kadhar, the academy was operated by a woman and her son, who were conducting tuition classes at the time of the collapse. The victims included the woman, her son, and five children who were attending the class. One child suffered a critical head injury and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Emergency response teams, including Rescue 1122 personnel, arrived promptly at the scene. They conducted a thorough search and rescue operation, retrieving the bodies of the deceased and providing medical assistance to the injured. The injured individuals were transported to the hospital, where they are receiving treatment.

The tragic event has left the local community in shock and mourning. Residents and officials have expressed their condolences and called for investigations into the cause of the collapse. DPO Atif Nazir Kadhar visited the site to oversee the rescue operations and ensure that all necessary measures were taken.

Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the roof collapse. Preliminary reports suggest that structural failure may have contributed to the incident. Further details will be provided as the investigation progresses.

This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding building safety standards in Pakistan. There have been previous reports of similar tragedies, underscoring the need for stringent enforcement of construction regulations to prevent such occurrences in the future.

The community remains hopeful that this tragedy will lead to increased awareness and improvements in building safety measures across the region. (ILKHA)