Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia School Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous students, mostly adolescent males, had gathered for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building gave way while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the nation's most fatal catastrophe this year. Emergency workers are expected to conclude their rescue mission for 13 victims trapped beneath the rubble by evening.
Investigation Ongoing into Structural Failure
Authorities are continuing to probe the reason behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The total count includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but subsequently died in medical care.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools function without formal oversight, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to conduct building modifications.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the manner the structure collapsed, creating narrow voids for emergency personnel to maneuver within, authorities stated last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have shared their harrowing escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One teenage eyewitness recalled first "noticing the sound of collapsing materials", which "intensified and more intense".
The young person immediately ran for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the roof.
