Tragedy Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Structural Failure Fatalities Increases to 54
Media Source
The death count from the collapse of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders still looking for over twelve missing individuals.
Numerous students, mostly teenage boys, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building gave way while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's deadliest disaster in 2025. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals ensnared under debris by evening.
Probe Underway into Collapse Cause
Investigators are continuing to probe the cause behind the structural failure. 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 numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The overall number includes at least two people who were rescued from the rubble but later succumbed in hospital.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous Islamic schools function informally, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had necessary permits to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the way the structure fell, creating tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, officials reported last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One teenage survivor described first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by falling debris from the roof.
