Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian Educational Institution Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders still looking for over twelve unaccounted persons.
Hundreds students, primarily adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the religious educational institution in East Java when the building gave way while undergoing construction.
The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe this year. Emergency workers are anticipated to complete their search operation for 13 victims ensnared under debris by day's end.
Investigation Underway into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the reason behind the collapse. Some officials indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been 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 individuals who were extracted from the debris but later succumbed in hospital.
Institutional Context and Oversight Issues
The institution is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools function without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to undertake building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the structure fell, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities reported previously.
Survivor Accounts
Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying survival stories with local media.
One teenage survivor described first "hearing the sound of collapsing materials", which "grew louder and louder".
The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.
