Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia School Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams continuing their search for over twelve missing individuals.
Numerous students, primarily adolescent males, 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. Emergency workers are anticipated to complete their rescue mission for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by evening.
Investigation Underway into Collapse Cause
Authorities are continuing to probe the cause behind the structural failure. Certain authorities indicated 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 deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The overall number includes at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but later died in hospital.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The institution is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous Islamic schools function informally, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the way the building collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for emergency personnel to operate within, officials stated previously.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have recounted their terrifying survival stories with local media.
One teenage survivor described first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was injured by falling debris from the roof.
