Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Structural Failure Death Toll Rises to 54
Media Source
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous students, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for religious services at the religious educational institution in East Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's deadliest disaster in 2025. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by evening.
Investigation Underway into Structural Failure
Authorities are still examining the reason behind the structural failure. Certain authorities indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an unstable foundation.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the ones in Sidoarjo," declared a representative from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The overall number encompasses at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but subsequently succumbed in hospital.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Many pesantren function without formal oversight, without strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the school had necessary permits to undertake building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the structure collapsed, creating tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities stated previously.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have shared their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One teenage survivor described first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder".
The adolescent quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the roof.