Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia School Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54

Media Source

The death count from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders continuing their search for over twelve unaccounted persons.

Numerous pupils, primarily teenage boys, had assembled for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while being renovated.

The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the nation's most fatal catastrophe this year. Rescue personnel are expected to complete their rescue mission for thirteen individuals trapped beneath the rubble by evening.

Probe Underway into Collapse Cause

Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-level structure collapsed due to an inadequate base.

"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing.

The overall number includes at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but subsequently died in hospital.

Institutional Context and Oversight Issues

The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.

Many pesantren operate informally, lacking strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to conduct additional construction.

Operational Difficulties

Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the manner the building fell, creating narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver within, officials stated previously.

Survivor Accounts

Those who escaped have shared their harrowing escape experiences with local media.

One teenage eyewitness described first "noticing the noise of falling rocks", which "intensified and more intense".

The young person immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by falling debris from the ceiling.