A building at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia, collapsed on Monday while students were performing afternoon prayers, resulting in the death of one student and injuries to nearly 100 others. Rescue teams worked through the night to retrieve survivors from the debris.
Authorities reported that the collapse occurred in a structure undergoing unauthorized expansion. The original two-story prayer hall had been extended by two additional floors without proper permits. Provincial police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast stated that the old building’s foundation could not support the extra weight, leading to the tragic collapse during the construction process.
Most of the victims were male students, as female students were praying separately in another part of the building and escaped unharmed. Survivors sustained various injuries, including head trauma and broken bones, and were rushed to nearby hospitals, some in critical condition.
Police, soldiers, and rescue workers used heavy equipment to search through steel-reinforced concrete rubble. Eight injured students were rescued more than eight hours after the incident, and authorities fear that the death toll could rise as additional bodies were spotted under the debris.
Families anxiously gathered at hospitals and the collapse site, watching as rescuers worked tirelessly to save trapped students. Nanang Sigit, leading the rescue efforts, noted that teams supplied oxygen and water to survivors while carefully navigating unstable rubble.
An investigation has been launched into the cause of the collapse, highlighting the dangers of unauthorized construction and inadequate structural support. Rescue operations continue around the clock to recover any remaining victims.
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