🔗 Share this article Tragedy Deepens as Indonesian School Structural Failure Fatalities Rises to 54 Media Source Hundreds adolescent males had assembled for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when it gave way recently The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an educational facility in Indonesia has escalated to 54, as confirmed by officials, with rescue teams still looking for more than a dozen missing individuals. Numerous students, mostly adolescent males, had assembled for religious services at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when the building gave way while being renovated. The country's emergency management authority characterizes this as the country's deadliest disaster this year. Rescue personnel are expected to complete their rescue mission for 13 victims ensnared under debris by day's end. Investigation Underway into Structural Failure Investigators are still examining the cause behind the structural failure. Some officials suggested the two-level structure collapsed 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 ones in Sidoarjo," stated a deputy from the disaster mitigation agency during a media briefing. The overall number includes at least two individuals who were extracted from the debris but later died in hospital. School Background and Oversight Issues The facility is a conventional religious educational center in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren. Numerous Islamic schools operate without formal oversight, lacking comprehensive oversight or regular inspections. It remains unclear whether the school had necessary permits to conduct building modifications. Operational Difficulties Emergency response efforts have proven challenging due to the way the structure collapsed, creating narrow voids for emergency personnel to maneuver within, officials stated previously. Eyewitness Reports Survivors have shared their harrowing escape experiences with local media. One 13-year-old survivor recalled first "noticing the noise of collapsing materials", which "intensified and more intense". The young person immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was injured by collapsing materials from the roof.