Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesia School Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54
News Agency
The number of fatalities from the collapse of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams still looking for over twelve missing individuals.
Hundreds students, mostly teenage boys, had gathered for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building gave way while being renovated.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's deadliest disaster in 2025. Rescue personnel are expected to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals ensnared under debris by day's end.
Probe Ongoing into Structural Failure
Investigators are still examining the reason behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-level structure collapsed due to an inadequate base.
"Out of all the disasters in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," declared a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.
The overall number includes at least two people who were extracted from the debris but subsequently succumbed in medical care.
Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns
The facility is a traditional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.
Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.
Rescue Challenges
Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the manner the structure fell, creating narrow voids for emergency personnel to operate within, officials reported previously.
Eyewitness Reports
Survivors have recounted their harrowing escape experiences with local media.
One 13-year-old survivor described first "hearing the noise of collapsing materials", which "intensified and louder".
The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by collapsing materials from the roof.
