School roof collapse in western India kills 7 children and injures at least 21

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NEW DELHI — The roof of a government middle school building collapsed Friday in India’s western state of Rajasthan, killing seven children and injuring at least 21, a senior police official said.

The collapse occurred soon after the students had reached their classrooms and were about to start the school assembly, said police official Amit Kumar.

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It is still unclear what caused the roof to collapse.

Frantic parents, teachers, and locals immediately joined the rescue effort, sifting through mounds of debris to pull out the trapped students, local media reported.

Local official Ajay Singh said the accident will be investigated, according to the Press Trust of India. He added that while the district administration had recently requested a list of dilapidated school buildings from the education department, this school was not on it.

The school, located in Piplod village of Jhalawar district, has students studying up to eighth grade, or what is called a middle school in India.

A total of around 35 students were present when the roof collapsed. All seven fatalities were students from seventh and eighth grade, Kumar said. The injured have been transported to two local hospitals for treatment.

The office of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lamented the accident in a social media post, calling it “tragic” and “deeply saddening.”

“My thoughts are with the affected students and their families in this difficult hour,” the statement read, adding that authorities are providing “all possible assistance.”