Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Structural Failure Fatalities Rises to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams still looking for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Hundreds pupils, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the structure gave way while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's deadliest catastrophe in 2025. Rescue personnel are anticipated to complete their rescue mission for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by day's end.
Probe Underway into Collapse Cause
Authorities are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an inadequate base.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The overall number encompasses at least two people who were rescued from the rubble but subsequently succumbed in hospital.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous Islamic schools operate informally, lacking comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the school had necessary permits to undertake building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the manner the structure collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities reported previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have shared their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One teenage survivor described first "noticing the sound of collapsing materials", which "grew louder and more intense".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by collapsing materials from the roof.
