Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia School Collapse Fatalities Increases to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders still looking for over twelve unaccounted persons.
Numerous students, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for religious services at the religious educational institution in East Java when the structure collapsed while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the country's deadliest catastrophe this year. Rescue personnel are expected to complete their search operation for 13 victims trapped under debris by day's end.
Investigation Underway 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.
"Out of 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 total count includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but later died in hospital.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren operate without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had necessary permits to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the way the building fell, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to operate within, officials stated last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have recounted their harrowing survival stories with local media.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The young person immediately ran for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the ceiling.