🔗 Share this article Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian School Collapse Fatalities Increases to 54 News Agency Numerous teenage boys had assembled for religious observances at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when it gave way last Monday The death count from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams still looking for more than a dozen unaccounted persons. Numerous pupils, mostly teenage boys, had gathered for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the structure collapsed while being renovated. The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the country's most fatal disaster this year. Emergency workers are expected to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals trapped under debris by day's end. Investigation Underway into Collapse Cause Authorities are still examining the reason behind the structural failure. Certain authorities indicated the two-storey building caved in due to an inadequate base. "Out of all the catastrophes in 2025, whether natural or man-made, there has not occurred as many dead victims as the incident in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing. The total count includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but later succumbed in hospital. Institutional Context and Regulatory Concerns The facility is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren. Numerous pesantren function without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had proper authorization to undertake building modifications. Operational Difficulties Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the manner the structure fell, leaving only narrow voids for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities reported previously. Eyewitness Reports Those who escaped have recounted their harrowing survival stories with regional news outlets. One teenage survivor recalled first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "intensified and more intense". The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.