Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesian Educational Institution Collapse Fatalities Increases to 54
Media Source
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 over twelve missing individuals.
Numerous pupils, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the religious educational institution in East Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's most fatal disaster in 2025. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their search operation for 13 victims trapped beneath the rubble by evening.
Probe Underway into Collapse Cause
Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the collapse. Certain authorities indicated the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The total count includes at least two people who were extracted from the rubble but subsequently succumbed in medical care.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many pesantren function without formal oversight, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake building modifications.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the building fell, leaving only narrow voids for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities stated last week.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and more intense".
The young person quickly rushed for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was injured by collapsing materials from the roof.
