Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia Educational Institution Structural Failure Fatalities Rises to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders still looking for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Hundreds students, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for prayers at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the building gave way while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe in 2025. Rescue personnel are expected to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared under debris by evening.
Probe Underway into Collapse Cause
Authorities are still examining the reason behind the collapse. Certain authorities suggested the two-level structure collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The total count includes at least two people who were extracted from the rubble but later died in medical care.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The facility is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many pesantren operate informally, lacking comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had necessary permits to conduct building modifications.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the manner the building collapsed, creating tight spaces for rescuers to operate within, authorities stated last week.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have shared their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One 13-year-old eyewitness recalled first "hearing the sound of collapsing materials", which "intensified and louder".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was injured by collapsing materials from the ceiling.