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

Media Source

The death count from the collapse of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders continuing their search for over twelve missing individuals.

Hundreds students, mostly adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while being renovated.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the country's most fatal disaster this year. Emergency workers are expected to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared under debris by day's end.

Investigation Ongoing into Structural Failure

Investigators are still examining the reason behind the structural failure. Certain authorities indicated the two-level structure collapsed due to an inadequate base.

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

The overall number includes at least two people who were rescued from the rubble but later died in hospital.

School Background and Regulatory Concerns

The facility is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.

Numerous pesantren operate informally, without comprehensive oversight or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.

Operational Difficulties

Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the manner the building collapsed, creating narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities reported last week.

Eyewitness Reports

Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.

One 13-year-old survivor described first "noticing the sound of collapsing materials", which "intensified and more intense".

The young person immediately ran for the doorway, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the ceiling.