Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesia School Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The death count from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders still looking for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous pupils, primarily adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's most fatal catastrophe this year. Rescue personnel are expected to complete their search operation for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by evening.
Investigation Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-level structure caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The overall number encompasses at least two individuals who were rescued from the rubble but subsequently succumbed in medical care.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools operate without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to conduct additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the way the building collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to operate within, authorities stated last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have recounted their harrowing escape experiences with local media.
One teenage eyewitness recalled first "hearing the noise of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.
