Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesian School Structural Failure Fatalities Increases to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous pupils, primarily adolescent males, had gathered for prayers at the religious educational institution in East Java when the building gave way while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the nation's most fatal disaster this year. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their rescue mission for 13 victims trapped beneath the rubble by evening.
Probe Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-level structure collapsed due to an inadequate base.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The overall number includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but subsequently died in medical care.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools operate without formal oversight, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the manner the structure collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to operate within, officials reported previously.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have recounted their harrowing survival stories with regional news outlets.
One teenage survivor recalled first "noticing the noise of collapsing materials", which "grew louder and more intense".
The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the roof.
