Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia Educational Institution Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The death count from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders continuing their search for more than a dozen missing individuals.
Hundreds pupils, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when the structure collapsed while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's most fatal disaster in 2025. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by evening.
Investigation Ongoing into Structural Failure
Authorities are continuing to probe the reason behind the collapse. Some officials suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The total count encompasses at least two people who were extracted from the debris but subsequently succumbed in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous Islamic schools function without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the school had proper authorization to conduct additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the building collapsed, creating narrow voids for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities stated last week.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have shared their harrowing survival stories with local media.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder".
The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was injured by falling debris from the roof.
