🔗 Share this article Tragedy Worsens as Indonesian School Collapse Fatalities Rises to 54 Media Source Numerous teenage boys had gathered for religious observances at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when it collapsed last Monday The death count from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has climbed to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders still looking for more than a dozen missing individuals. Hundreds pupils, mostly teenage boys, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building gave way while undergoing construction. The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the country's most fatal catastrophe this year. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their rescue mission for 13 victims trapped beneath the rubble by day's end. Investigation Ongoing into Structural Failure Investigators are continuing to probe the reason behind the structural failure. Certain authorities suggested the two-storey building caved in due to an unstable foundation. "Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident 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 died in hospital. School Background and Oversight Issues The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren. Numerous Islamic schools function informally, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had necessary permits to undertake building modifications. Rescue Challenges Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the building collapsed, creating tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities reported last week. Survivor Accounts Those who escaped have shared their harrowing survival stories with local media. One 13-year-old survivor recalled first "noticing the sound of collapsing materials", which "grew louder and more intense". The young person immediately ran for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the ceiling.