Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesia Educational Institution Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The death count from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders continuing their search for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.
Hundreds students, mostly 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 describes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe in 2025. Emergency workers are expected to complete their search operation for 13 victims trapped beneath the rubble by evening.
Investigation Ongoing into Collapse Cause
Authorities are still examining the cause behind the collapse. Some officials indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the emergency management authority during a press conference.
The overall number includes at least two people who were rescued from the debris but subsequently died in medical care.
School Background and Oversight Issues
The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Many Islamic schools function informally, lacking strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to conduct building modifications.
Operational Difficulties
Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the structure fell, leaving only tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, officials stated last week.
Eyewitness Reports
Those who escaped have recounted their harrowing survival stories with regional news outlets.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "noticing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder".
The young person quickly rushed for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the ceiling.
