🔗 Share this article Catastrophe Deepens as Indonesian School Structural Failure Death Toll Increases to 54 News Agency Hundreds teenage boys had assembled for religious observances at the religious educational institution in Eastern Java when it collapsed recently The death count from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with emergency responders continuing their search for over twelve unaccounted persons. Hundreds students, primarily teenage boys, had gathered for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the structure gave way while undergoing construction. The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the nation's deadliest catastrophe in 2025. Rescue personnel are anticipated to conclude their rescue mission for thirteen individuals ensnared under debris by evening. Probe Ongoing into Collapse Cause Authorities are continuing to probe the cause behind the collapse. Some officials indicated the two-storey building collapsed due to an unstable foundation. "Among all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there has not occurred as numerous fatalities as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing. The overall number includes at least two individuals who were rescued from the debris but subsequently died in hospital. School Background and Regulatory Concerns The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, referred to as a pesantren. Numerous Islamic schools operate without formal oversight, without strong regulation or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the institution had necessary permits to conduct additional construction. Rescue Challenges Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the manner the structure fell, leaving only narrow voids for emergency personnel to maneuver within, authorities stated previously. Eyewitness Reports Those who escaped have shared their harrowing escape experiences with regional news outlets. One 13-year-old survivor described first "hearing the noise of falling rocks", which "intensified and louder". The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he managed to escape, he was injured by falling debris from the roof.