Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Structural Failure Death Toll Rises to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Numerous pupils, primarily adolescent males, had gathered for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when the building collapsed while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's most fatal disaster in 2025. Emergency workers are expected to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims trapped under debris by day's end.
Probe Ongoing into Collapse Cause
Authorities are continuing to probe the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials indicated the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a media briefing.
The total count encompasses at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but later died in medical care.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The institution is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or regular inspections. It remains uncertain whether the school had necessary permits to conduct building modifications.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the way the structure collapsed, creating tight spaces for rescuers to operate within, officials reported previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have shared their terrifying survival stories with local media.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and more intense".
The adolescent immediately ran for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by collapsing materials from the roof.
