Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesia Educational Institution Structural Failure Fatalities Rises to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams still looking for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Hundreds students, mostly teenage boys, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the structure collapsed while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority describes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe this year. Emergency workers are anticipated to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared under debris by day's end.
Investigation Ongoing into Collapse Cause
Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the collapse. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a representative from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The total count encompasses at least two people who were extracted from the debris but subsequently died in hospital.
School Background and Oversight Issues
The facility is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools operate informally, lacking strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains uncertain whether the institution had necessary permits to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the way the structure fell, creating tight spaces for rescuers to operate within, authorities reported last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have shared their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder".
The young person immediately ran for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the ceiling.
