The death toll from the collapse of a boarding school in Indonesia’s East Java province has climbed to 14, officials said on Saturday, as rescue teams race against time to locate dozens of students still trapped beneath the rubble.
The tragedy struck on Monday when the Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo suddenly caved in during classes, trapping hundreds of students — most of them teenage boys — under concrete and twisted metal.
At least five students were confirmed dead on the first day of the collapse, while more than 100 others were injured. But as rescue efforts continued through the week, nine more bodies were recovered on Friday, raising the total fatalities to 14, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
“As of today, 49 people remain unaccounted for,” said BNPB Chief Suharyanto, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. “We are now using heavy machinery to clear the collapsed areas, focusing on where victims are believed to be buried.”
Officials said the search operation has grown increasingly difficult due to the unstable debris and the scale of the destruction. Vibrations from machinery, they warned, could trigger further collapses in parts of the building still standing.
Despite the dangers, families of missing students agreed to allow the use of excavators and cranes after the 72-hour ‘golden window’ for survival had passed.
“After finding the last victim last night, our priority has shifted to a full-scale cleanup,” Suharyanto said, adding that the identification process has been slow because many victims are under 18 and lack official identity records.
“Some of the bodies were too damaged to be recognised visually,” he added.
The rescue mission has been further complicated by an earthquake that struck the area on Tuesday night, briefly halting operations as teams were forced to evacuate the site.
BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari said a total of 167 people have now been accounted for — 104 survivors rescued, 14 confirmed dead, and 49 still missing.
Among the injured, 14 students remain hospitalised, while 89 have been discharged. One has been transferred to another medical facility for advanced care.
Investigators are now examining the cause of the collapse, with early assessments suggesting poor structural integrity and substandard materials. Local experts have pointed to potential violations of building safety codes, a recurring issue in Indonesia’s densely populated regions.
Residents said the impact of the collapse was so powerful it sent shockwaves across nearby neighbourhoods, shaking homes and triggering panic.
“It was like an earthquake — the ground shook, and we heard screams from the school,” said one resident, who lives near the compound.
The incident has reignited calls for tighter building inspections and enforcement of safety standards in Indonesia’s expanding education sector, particularly in Islamic boarding schools (pesantrens) that often operate with limited oversight.
As heavy machinery continued clearing debris on Saturday, anguished families kept vigil near the site, clinging to hope that some of the missing may still be found alive.
“We will not stop until everyone is found,” said Suharyanto, vowing that rescue operations would continue “day and night.”
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