Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Collapse Fatalities Increases to 54
News Agency
The death count from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders still looking for over twelve unaccounted persons.
Hundreds pupils, primarily adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the religious educational institution in East Java when the building gave way while undergoing construction.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's most fatal catastrophe in 2025. Emergency workers are expected to complete their rescue mission for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by day's end.
Probe Ongoing into Collapse Cause
Authorities are still examining the reason behind the structural failure. Some officials indicated the two-level structure collapsed due to an unstable foundation.
"Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy 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 succumbed in hospital.
School Background and Regulatory Concerns
The institution is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren.
Numerous Islamic schools function informally, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the school had necessary permits to undertake building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the manner the structure collapsed, leaving only tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities stated last week.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets.
One teenage eyewitness recalled first "noticing the sound of collapsing materials", which "intensified 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.