Lahore: A woman teacher injured in the roof collapse tragedy in Lahore’s Kahna area has denied reports that repair work was underway on the roof while children were attending tuition classes, saying such claims are false.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening when the roof of a house collapsed during a tuition session, killing 14 children and injuring seven others, including the teacher. Initial reports had suggested that repair work was being carried out on the roof at the time of the incident.
A video statement of the injured teacher, currently undergoing treatment in hospital, has now surfaced. She said the roof used to leak during rainfall, which is why tiles had been installed on it, but she never imagined that the roof would collapse.
“It was the will of Allah,” she said.
The teacher clarified that no construction or repair work was taking place on the roof during the tuition class. She said the roof had already been completed and rejected reports claiming otherwise. She added that her family’s financial condition was not strong enough to afford constructing a concrete roof slab.
She further stated that she teaches tuition because of financial difficulties, while her husband earns a living by selling fruit from a handcart near their home.
The injured teacher said that if any construction work had been in progress, she would have sent the children home. She added that she also cancels classes whenever there is a power outage. According to her, she has been teaching young children for the past two years, with around 30 to 35 students enrolled in total. On the day of the incident, around 20 to 22 children had attended the tuition class.
The teacher also said that her daughter’s condition has improved and she has been discharged from the hospital, although she has not yet been able to meet her. Expressing grief over the tragedy, she said all of the children who lost their lives were like her own.
