Tragedy Deepens as Indonesian School Collapse Fatalities Increases to 54
Media Source
The death count from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders still looking for over twelve unaccounted persons.
Numerous students, primarily adolescent males, had gathered for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority describes this as the nation's deadliest disaster in 2025. Emergency workers are expected to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared beneath the rubble by evening.
Probe Ongoing into Structural Failure
Authorities are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing.
The overall number encompasses at least two people who were extracted from the debris but later succumbed in medical care.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the building fell, creating tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities stated previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have shared their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "noticing the noise of collapsing materials", which "intensified and more intense".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.
