Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesia School Collapse Fatalities Rises to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders continuing their search for more than a dozen missing individuals.
Numerous pupils, mostly adolescent males, had gathered for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when the structure collapsed while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the country's most fatal disaster this year. Emergency workers are anticipated to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared under debris by day's end.
Probe Underway into Structural Failure
Authorities are continuing to probe the reason behind the structural failure. Certain authorities indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing.
The overall number encompasses at least two people who were rescued from the debris but subsequently succumbed in hospital.
School Background and Oversight Issues
The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Many pesantren operate without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or regular inspections. 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 building collapsed, creating tight spaces for emergency personnel to maneuver within, officials stated last week.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying survival stories with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old eyewitness described first "hearing the noise of collapsing materials", which "intensified and more intense".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the ceiling.
