Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia Educational Institution Collapse Fatalities Rises to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for more than a dozen missing individuals.
Numerous students, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for religious services at the religious educational institution in East Java when the structure collapsed while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the country's most fatal catastrophe in 2025. Emergency workers are anticipated to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals ensnared under debris by evening.
Investigation Ongoing into Collapse Cause
Authorities are continuing to probe the reason behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Among all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a representative from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The overall number includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but subsequently succumbed in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The institution is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools function without formal oversight, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the way the building collapsed, creating narrow voids for emergency personnel to maneuver within, authorities reported previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have shared their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.
