At least 14 individuals lost their lives following the collapse of a school building in Indonesia earlier this week. The incident occurred at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java province during afternoon prayers, where hundreds of students and teachers were present. Efforts to locate survivors involved hundreds of rescuers equipped with specialized tools for rescue operations.
The death toll climbed to 14 as recovery teams recovered multiple bodies from the debris. Numerous students are still missing, indicating a potential rise in the casualty count. Search operations initially focused on manual efforts but transitioned to heavy machinery such as excavators with jackhammers to aid in the search.
By Friday evening, the recovery teams discovered nine bodies, pushing the confirmed death toll to 14, while nearly 50 students remain unaccounted for. Notably, two of the bodies were found in the prayer hall, and one was closer to an exit, suggesting an attempt to escape the collapse.
Survivors mentioned that the students present during the collapse were male, ranging from grades seven to 12, aged between 12 and 19. Female students in a separate part of the building managed to evacuate successfully. One survivor, thirteen-year-old Rizalul Qoib, expressed gratitude for escaping with minor injuries, recalling the moment when the building collapsed during prayers.
Authorities revealed that the school building, initially two stories high, was undergoing expansion with two additional levels. The collapse was attributed to the inadequate foundation’s ability to support the additional floors during construction. School officials have refrained from commenting on the incident.
Suharyanto from Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency informed reporters that the recovery operations are expected to conclude by Saturday. Efforts continue to treat and care for those injured in the tragic event.