Tragedy Worsens as Indonesian School Collapse Death Toll Rises to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams still looking for over twelve unaccounted persons.
Numerous pupils, mostly teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the structure gave way while being renovated.
The country's emergency management authority describes this as the nation's most fatal catastrophe in 2025. Emergency workers are expected to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by evening.
Probe Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are continuing to probe the reason 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 hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The overall number encompasses at least two individuals who were extracted from the rubble but later died in hospital.
School Background and Oversight Issues
The facility 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 uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to conduct building modifications.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the structure collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver within, officials stated previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have shared their harrowing escape experiences with local media.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "hearing 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 collapsing materials from the roof.
