Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams still looking for over twelve missing individuals.
Numerous students, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for religious services at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the building gave way while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe this year. Emergency workers are expected to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by evening.
Probe Ongoing into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building caved in due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a representative from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing.
The total count includes at least two individuals who were extracted from the rubble but later died in hospital.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the manner the structure fell, creating tight spaces for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities stated previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have shared their harrowing survival stories with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by collapsing materials from the ceiling.
