🔗 Share this article Tragedy Worsens as Indonesia School Collapse Death Toll Rises to 54 Media Source Hundreds adolescent males had gathered for religious observances at the religious educational institution in East Java when it gave way last Monday 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 over twelve unaccounted persons. Hundreds pupils, mostly teenage boys, had gathered for religious services at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when the building collapsed while undergoing construction. The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the country's most fatal catastrophe this year. Emergency workers are expected to conclude their search operation for 13 victims trapped beneath the rubble by evening. Investigation Ongoing into Structural Failure Authorities are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation. "Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as numerous fatalities as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing. The total count encompasses at least two people who were rescued from the debris but subsequently succumbed in hospital. School Background and Oversight Issues The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren. Many Islamic schools function without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the school had proper authorization to conduct additional construction. Rescue Challenges Emergency response efforts have faced difficulties due to the way the structure collapsed, creating tight spaces for rescuers to operate within, officials reported last week. Eyewitness Reports Survivors have recounted their harrowing survival stories with local media. One teenage survivor recalled first "hearing the noise of falling rocks", which "grew louder and louder". The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the roof.