Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesia Educational Institution Structural Failure Death Toll Rises to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders still looking for over twelve missing individuals.
Numerous pupils, mostly teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when the structure gave way while being renovated.
The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the nation's most fatal disaster this year. Rescue personnel are expected to complete their search operation for thirteen individuals ensnared under debris by evening.
Investigation Underway into Collapse Cause
Authorities are continuing to probe the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-storey building caved in due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The overall number encompasses at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but subsequently died in hospital.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The facility is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function informally, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to conduct additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the way the building fell, leaving only tight spaces for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities stated previously.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have recounted their harrowing escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "noticing the sound of collapsing materials", which "intensified and more intense".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the roof.