Patna, Jul 12 (IANS): At least 12 students were injured after a balcony of a two-storey private school building collapsed in Bihar's Madhepura district on Friday.

The incident took place at the National DAV Public School in Udakishunganj block of the district. The conditions of three of the 12 injured students are stated to be critical.

Local residents and police rescued the injured students and took them to a nearby private hospital for treatment. After initial treatment, some injured students were referred to Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur for better care.

Udakishunganj's Block Education Officer (BEO) Nirmala Kumari visited the site and hospital.

"The school is being operated in a building which previously a was sugar mill and was around 100 years old. Safety concerns over the building's age and condition were highlighted in the past. An investigation will be conducted, and actions will be taken against the school management," the BEO said.