Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian School Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Hundreds pupils, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for religious services at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the structure gave way while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe this year. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals ensnared under debris by evening.
Investigation Underway into Collapse Cause
Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the collapse. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The overall number encompasses at least two individuals who were extracted from the rubble but later died in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake building modifications.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the manner the building fell, creating narrow voids for rescuers to operate within, authorities stated previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have shared their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One teenage survivor described first "hearing the sound of collapsing materials", which "intensified and louder".
The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was injured by falling debris from the ceiling.
