🔗 Share this article Tragedy Deepens as Indonesian School Structural Failure Death Toll Rises to 54 News Agency Numerous teenage boys had gathered for religious observances at the Islamic boarding school in East Java when it collapsed recently The number of fatalities from the structural failure of an Indonesian school has escalated to 54, according to authorities, with rescue teams continuing their search for over twelve unaccounted persons. Hundreds students, mostly adolescent males, had gathered for prayers at the Islamic boarding school in Eastern Java when the building gave way while undergoing construction. Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency characterizes this as the nation's most fatal disaster this year. Emergency workers are expected to conclude their search operation for thirteen individuals ensnared beneath the rubble by evening. Investigation Underway into Collapse Cause Investigators are continuing to probe the cause behind the collapse. Some officials suggested the two-storey building collapsed due to an inadequate base. "Among all the catastrophes in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," stated a representative from the emergency management authority during a media briefing. The overall number encompasses at least two people who were rescued from the debris but subsequently succumbed in hospital. School Background and Oversight Issues The institution is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, commonly known as a pesantren. Numerous pesantren operate without formal oversight, lacking strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It remains uncertain whether the institution had necessary permits to conduct building modifications. Rescue Challenges Search and rescue operations have proven challenging due to the way the building collapsed, creating tight spaces for rescuers to maneuver within, authorities reported last week. Survivor Accounts Survivors have shared their terrifying escape experiences with local media. One 13-year-old survivor recalled first "hearing the sound of falling rocks", which "grew louder and more intense". The adolescent immediately ran for the exit, and while he successfully got out, he was wounded by collapsing materials from the roof.