Tragedy Deepens as Indonesia School Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The death count from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams continuing their search for over twelve missing individuals.
Numerous students, mostly adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the religious educational institution in East Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's most fatal catastrophe in 2025. Emergency workers are expected to complete their search operation for 13 victims ensnared beneath the rubble by day's end.
Investigation Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated 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 institution is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous Islamic schools operate without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the institution had necessary permits to conduct additional construction.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the structure collapsed, leaving only tight spaces for rescuers to operate within, authorities stated last week.
Survivor Accounts
Survivors have shared their terrifying escape experiences with local media.
One teenage eyewitness recalled first "noticing the noise of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder".
The young person immediately ran for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was injured by collapsing materials from the roof.
