18 killed as school roof collapses in NW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD -- At least 17 students and a teacher were killed when the roof of a private school collapsed in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday, hospital sources said.

Several students were also injured in the incident. An emergency was declared at Lady Reading Hospital, the hospital's spokesperson Muhammad Asim told Xinhua.

Rescue operations were underway to recover victims from the rubble.

Police said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the collapse.

Roof and building collapses are not uncommon in Pakistan, where poor safety standards and the use of substandard construction materials have contributed to such incidents.