The death toll from the collapse of a school in Indonesia has risen to 54, authorities reported, with rescuers still searching for more than a dozen missing individuals. Hundreds of students, predominantly teenage boys, had gathered for prayers at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in East Java when it collapsed last Monday during ongoing construction.
According to Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, this incident marks the deadliest disaster in the country this year. Rescuers expect to conclude their search for the 13 victims believed to be trapped in the rubble by the end of the day.
Investigators are actively looking into the cause of the collapse, with initial reports suggesting that the two-storey structure may have fallen due to an unstable foundation. Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo, stated Budi Irawan, a deputy at the disaster mitigation agency during a recent press conference.
The casualty count includes at least two people who managed to escape from the debris but subsequently died in the hospital. Al Khoziny is recognized as a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, known as a pesantren, and many such institutions operate without stringent regulation or consistent oversight. It remains unclear whether Al Khoziny had the necessary permits for additional construction.
Search and rescue operations are complicated due to the structural collapse, creating only narrow openings for rescuers to navigate. Survivors have recounted their terrifying experiences. Muhammad Rijalul Qoib, a 13-year-old, described hearing the escalating noise of falling debris before making a crucial dash for safety, sustaining injuries from the collapse as he escaped.
