Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders still looking for over twelve missing individuals.
Hundreds pupils, primarily adolescent males, had assembled for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while being renovated.
The country's emergency management authority describes this as the nation's most fatal disaster this year. Emergency workers are expected to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by day's end.
Probe Underway into Collapse Cause
Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the structural failure. Certain authorities indicated the two-storey building collapsed due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The overall number encompasses at least two people who were rescued from the rubble but subsequently died in hospital.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the school had necessary permits to conduct building modifications.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the building collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for emergency personnel to maneuver within, officials stated previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have shared their harrowing survival stories with local media.
One 13-year-old survivor recalled first "hearing the noise of falling rocks", which "intensified and more intense".
The young person quickly rushed for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by collapsing materials from the ceiling.
