Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian School Collapse Fatalities Rises to 54

Media Source

The death count from the collapse of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams still looking for over twelve unaccounted persons.

Hundreds pupils, primarily adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the structure gave way while undergoing construction.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency describes this as the country's deadliest catastrophe in 2025. Emergency workers are expected to complete their search operation for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by day's end.

Probe Underway into Structural Failure

Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the structural failure. Some officials indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an unstable foundation.

"Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.

The overall number includes at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but subsequently succumbed in medical care.

School Background and Regulatory Concerns

The institution is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.

Many Islamic schools operate informally, lacking comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains unclear whether the school had proper authorization to undertake additional construction.

Rescue Challenges

Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the manner the building fell, creating tight spaces for rescuers to maneuver within, officials reported previously.

Eyewitness Reports

Those who escaped have recounted their terrifying survival stories with regional news outlets.

One 13-year-old survivor recalled first "noticing the noise of collapsing materials", which "intensified and louder".

The adolescent immediately ran for the doorway, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by falling debris from the roof.