Tragedy Worsens as Indonesian School Structural Failure Fatalities Rises to 54
News Agency
The death count from the collapse of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams still looking for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous pupils, mostly teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the religious educational institution in East Java when the structure gave way while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the country's deadliest disaster this year. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared under debris by evening.
Investigation Underway into Collapse Cause
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the collapse. Some officials indicated the two-level structure collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a deputy from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The overall number includes at least two people who were extracted from the rubble but subsequently succumbed in hospital.
School Background and Oversight Issues
The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools function without formal oversight, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had proper authorization to conduct additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the way the structure fell, creating tight spaces for emergency personnel to maneuver within, officials stated previously.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have recounted their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "noticing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by falling debris from the roof.
