In brief
A catastrophic collapse of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java has resulted in three fatalities and over 99 injuries. Many students remain trapped under the debris as rescuers face challenges due to the unstable structure. Families are anxiously waiting for updates on missing loved ones.
Rescuers are racing to pull dozens of students and workers from under the rubble of a school building that collapsed in East Java, Indonesia. Three people have been killed and 99 others hospitalised, with several in critical condition, as officials warn that the death toll may rise.
At least 38 others, many of them teenage boys, remain trapped under the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo. The incident occurred while students were gathered for prayers when the building suddenly gave way on Monday.
The two-storey structure had an unstable foundation and could not support the additional weight from two floors that were being constructed, according to the disaster mitigation agency.
While the boys were caught in the collapse, the girls praying in another part of the building managed to escape. Many students are aged between 12 and 17 years old.
Local media footage shows the collapsed section of the building sunken in amid large slabs of concrete. Anxious relatives have been waiting outside the site overnight, hoping for updates on their missing loved ones, as cries for help are reportedly heard from beneath the debris.
The search and rescue operation has been temporarily halted due to fears of further collapses, with officials assessing the building's dangerous state.
The head of the search and rescue agency, Mohammad Syafeii, indicated the operation would be specialized, employing extrication tools while balancing the risks posed to those possibly trapped underneath.
Survivor accounts detail harrowing escapes. One seventh grader, Muhammad Rijalul Qoib, recounted the moment of collapse: “It got louder and louder,” he said, recalling how he quickly ran outside despite being struck by falling debris.
As the community grapples with this tragedy, school officials have faced scrutiny over the lack of permits for the new construction. Sidoarjo town's regent criticized the management's oversight and emphasized the need for stronger regulations to prevent incidents like this in Indonesia’s safety-compromised construction sector.
