Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesian Educational Institution Collapse Fatalities Rises to 54

Collapsed educational facility — Hundreds teenage boys had assembled for prayers at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when it collapsed recently

The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams still looking for more than a dozen unaccounted persons.

Hundreds students, primarily adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's most fatal disaster in 2025. Emergency workers are anticipated to conclude their search operation for 13 victims ensnared beneath the rubble by day's end.

Probe Underway into Structural Failure

Authorities are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials indicated the two-level structure 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 representative from the disaster mitigation agency during a press conference.

The total count includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the rubble but later succumbed in hospital.

School Background and Oversight Issues

The institution is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren.

Numerous pesantren operate without formal oversight, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had necessary permits to undertake additional construction.

Rescue Challenges

Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the structure collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities stated last week.