Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia Educational Institution Structural Failure Fatalities Increases to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous pupils, mostly adolescent males, had gathered for religious services at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the building gave way while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe in 2025. Emergency workers are anticipated to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by day's end.
Investigation Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the collapse. Some officials suggested the two-level structure collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a representative from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The total count includes at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but subsequently died in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren operate without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or regular inspections. It remains uncertain whether the institution had necessary permits to conduct building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the structure fell, leaving only tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, officials stated last week.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have shared their terrifying survival stories with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old eyewitness described first "noticing the noise of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.
