Tragedy Deepens as Indonesian School Structural Failure Death Toll Rises to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders still looking for more than a dozen missing individuals.
Hundreds students, mostly teenage boys, 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 characterizes this as the nation's most fatal disaster this year. Emergency workers are expected to complete their search operation for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by day's end.
Probe Underway into Collapse Cause
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the collapse. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a representative from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The total count includes at least two people who were rescued from the debris but later died in hospital.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had necessary permits to conduct additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the manner the building fell, leaving only tight spaces for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities reported previously.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have shared their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "noticing the sound of collapsing materials", which "grew louder and more intense".
The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by falling debris from the ceiling.
