The tuition teacher injured in the deadly roof collapse at a tuition centre in Lahore's Kahna area has denied reports that construction work was underway at the time of the incident, insisting the children were not being taught in unsafe conditions.
Teacher's Statement
In a statement, the teacher said there was no ongoing construction when the roof collapsed, adding that if repair work had been in progress or electricity had been unavailable, she would have declared a holiday for the students. She emphasised that the classroom where lessons were being held had a completed roof and that construction work had already been finished.
Owing to financial constraints, she said, she could not afford to reconstruct the entire house or install a new roof slab and had only reinforced the ceiling. She added that she was herself trapped under the debris during the collapse.
Details of the Incident
On June 30, at least 14 children were killed and several others, including the teacher, were injured after the roof of a tuition centre collapsed in Kahna. Rescue teams, assisted by local residents, pulled children trapped beneath the rubble and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals.
The teacher said her daughter, her brother-in-law's children and her one-and-a-half-year-old niece were also present at the tuition centre when the incident occurred. She said she still did not know the condition of several of the children who had been caught in the collapse.
Investigation Ongoing
Rejecting claims that construction activity was taking place at the house, she said she did not know what caused the roof to collapse. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause of the collapse and whether any negligence was involved.
