Saturday, March 29, 2025
SIDOARJO, INDONESIA — Emergency personnel are scrambling to reach numerous students and staff buried under the rubble of a catastrophic school collapse in East Java, Indonesia. The incident, which took place on Monday, has resulted in the confirmed deaths of three people and caused injuries requiring hospitalization for 99 others, some severely. Officials warn that the fatality count is expected to rise.
At least 38 individuals, predominantly male teenagers, are still trapped beneath the wreckage of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School. The two-story structure failed while the teenagers were gathered for prayer. Investigators from the disaster mitigation agency quickly determined that the foundation was unstable, unable to support the weight of two new floors being added to the building.
The search-and-rescue effort, which was temporarily paused due to the risk of further collapse, faces major challenges. Basarnas search chief Mohammad Syafeii described the site as a “pancake-type structure,” with concrete slabs stacked precariously atop one another, leaving minimal voids for survivors. Specialized teams and equipment are being brought in, though Syafeii noted the dangerous dilemma of using heavy machinery, which could save lives but also risk shifting the unstable debris.
Distraught relatives, including mother Rosida, whose son remains missing, kept vigil overnight. Survivors recounted the terror of the collapse; 13-year-old Muhammad Rijalul Qoib described the sound of falling rock growing rapidly before he fled.
The Sidoarjo town regent stated the school’s administration did not possess the required permits for the construction expansion. The Al Khoziny facility, a pesantren, falls under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, a sector known for having limited regulatory oversight compared to general education.
The tragedy underscores Indonesia’s persistent issues with construction safety, a problem recognized globally, and follows a separate fatal building collapse earlier this month in West Java.
