Indonesia School Collapse – Sidoarjo, East Java

Incident Overview

• A four-story Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo collapsed on Monday afternoon, during afternoon prayers.
• The building was undergoing an unauthorized expansion, adding two floors to a century-old structure with a weak foundation.

Casualties & Rescue

• 91 students—mostly boys aged 12–18 remain trapped under concrete rubble.
• 3 confirmed dead, 100+ injured, many with head trauma and broken bones.
• Female students, praying in a separate hall, escaped unharmed.

Rescue Efforts

• Over 300 rescue workers are on site, using manual tools to avoid further collapse.
• Oxygen, water, and food are being passed through narrow gaps to survivors.
• At least 6 children are believed alive, but unstable slabs and heavy debris hinder progress.

Structural Failures

• Collapse blamed on foundation pillars failing under the weight of new concrete floors.
• Highlights Indonesia’s lax building standards, where unregulated expansions are common.

(Source AP News)

—Agencies