Horror in Pakistan: School roof collapses on students — 28 dead, fears more victims may be found VIDEO

According to reports, 27 students and one teacher were killed, the Associated Press reported. Earlier media reports stated that 17 students had died and that all of them were 13 years old or younger.

Pakistani news outlet Dawn reported that 21 people were also injured when the roof of a private school collapsed in the Dir Colony neighborhood of Peshawar, citing the rescue service Rescue 1122. Service spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said that rescuers had transported around 20 people, including students and teachers, to hospitals.

Rescue operations are ongoing, and there are fears that more children may still be trapped beneath the rubble.

Roof and building collapses are common across Pakistan, largely due to poor safety standards and the use of inadequate construction materials in the country, Dawn reported. The outlet recalled that in July, three girls, aged between 3 and 13, were killed when part of the exterior wall of a government primary school collapsed on them near the town of Umerkot.

Also in July, one child was killed and at least five people were injured when the roof of a private school building under construction collapsed in the Bagbanpura neighborhood of Lahore.

In June, 14 children lost their lives when the roof of a private educational center collapsed in the Kahna area of Lahore.