Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesia School Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams continuing their search for over twelve unaccounted persons.
Hundreds students, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for prayers 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 most fatal disaster this year. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by day's end.
Probe Ongoing into Structural Failure
Authorities are continuing to probe the cause behind the collapse. Certain authorities indicated the two-level structure collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," declared a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The total count includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but later died in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the building collapsed, leaving only tight spaces for rescuers to operate within, authorities reported last week.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have recounted their harrowing survival stories with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "hearing the noise of collapsing materials", which "intensified and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by collapsing materials from the roof.
