Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesia School Collapse Fatalities Increases to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders continuing their search for more than a dozen missing individuals.
Hundreds pupils, mostly teenage boys, had gathered for prayers at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the structure gave way while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority describes this as the country's deadliest disaster this year. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by evening.
Investigation Underway into Collapse Cause
Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the collapse. Some officials indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," declared a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The total count encompasses at least two individuals who were extracted from the rubble but subsequently died in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools function without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the structure fell, leaving only tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities stated last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have shared their harrowing escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One teenage survivor described first "noticing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by falling debris from the roof.
