Tragedy Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Collapse Fatalities Increases to 54
News Agency
The death count from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams still looking for more than a dozen missing individuals.
Hundreds pupils, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the building gave way while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the nation's most fatal disaster this year. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their search operation for 13 victims ensnared beneath the rubble by evening.
Probe Ongoing into Structural Failure
Authorities are continuing to probe the cause behind the collapse. Some officials indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the catastrophes 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 died in hospital.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The institution is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools function without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or regular inspections. 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 manner the building collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for emergency personnel to maneuver within, authorities stated last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying survival stories with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "noticing the noise of falling rocks", which "grew louder and more intense".
The adolescent immediately ran for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.
