Tragedy Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Collapse Fatalities Rises to 54
Media Source
The death count from the structural failure 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 pupils, mostly adolescent males, had assembled for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when the building gave way while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the nation's deadliest disaster this year. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals trapped beneath the rubble by evening.
Probe Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the reason behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-level structure caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Among all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a representative from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The overall number includes at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but subsequently succumbed in medical care.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The facility is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Many pesantren function without formal oversight, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the school had necessary permits to conduct building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the way the structure fell, leaving only tight spaces for rescuers to operate within, officials stated previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have shared their terrifying survival stories with local media.
One 13-year-old survivor recalled first "hearing the sound of collapsing materials", which "grew louder and more intense".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the ceiling.
