🔗 Share this article Catastrophe Worsens as Indonesian School Collapse Death Toll Increases to 54 Media Source Hundreds teenage boys had gathered for religious observances at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when it collapsed recently The death count from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, as confirmed by officials, with emergency responders continuing their search for more than a dozen missing individuals. Numerous students, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the structure collapsed while being renovated. Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's most fatal catastrophe this year. Rescue personnel are expected to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims trapped under debris 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 collapsed due to an unstable foundation. "Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred 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 individuals who were extracted from the rubble but subsequently died in hospital. School Background and Oversight Issues The institution is a conventional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren. Numerous pesantren function informally, without comprehensive oversight or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had proper authorization to conduct additional construction. Operational Difficulties Search and rescue operations have faced difficulties due to the way the building collapsed, creating tight spaces for emergency personnel to operate within, authorities reported previously. Eyewitness Reports Survivors have shared their terrifying escape experiences with regional news outlets. One teenage survivor recalled first "hearing the noise of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder". The adolescent quickly rushed for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the ceiling.