JAKARTA – At least three students have died and dozens more were injured after an under-construction building at Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school, in Sidoarjo regency, East Java, collapsed on Monday afternoon.
According to the Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), the incident occurred at around 3 p.m., when a truck was pouring concrete on the third floor of the unfinished building. Authorities suspect that the structure could not withstand the weight, causing the building to collapse inward.
Despite being incomplete, the building, which began construction 10 months ago, had already been used regularly for prayers by students and teachers. At the time of the incident, hundreds of students were performing afternoon prayers on the first floor.
Officials said 91 students managed to escape in the immediate aftermath of the collapse. Since the rescue operation began on Monday night, teams have successfully evacuated 10 more students and recovered one body from the rubble.
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As of Tuesday, at least 86 people were injured, with victims receiving treatment at three hospitals across Sidoarjo. Two people who were among the injured died from their injuries on Tuesday, bringing the official death toll to three.
Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Agency, said that 38 students were still believed to be trapped under the rubble.
“The school reported that 140 students were inside the building when the collapse occurred. So far, only 102 have been accounted for,” Nanang said on Tuesday as quoted by Kompas.com.
Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Air Vice Marshal Mohammad Syafi’i, said more than 330 personnel from 56 different agencies had been deployed to assist in the ongoing rescue operation.
“The search and rescue operation is being carried out around the clock to maximize the ‘golden time’, the critical window to save lives of those believed to still be trapped under the rubble,” Syafi’i said in a statement on Tuesday.
He explained that rescue teams were forced to conduct manual extraction efforts due to the unstable condition of the site. Attempts to clear debris using heavy machinery were deemed too risky, as they could cause further collapse and endanger survivors still trapped below.
To support the complex operation, Basarnas has deployed specialized teams from multiple cities across Java, along with technical extraction equipment designed for operations in narrow and unstable collapse zones.
“Given that the collapsed structure resembles a ‘pancake collapse’, with stacked layers of concrete and extremely narrow voids, specialized handling is essential. The rubble is unstable, and there may still be survivors beneath it, which is why we are using specialized equipment and trained personnel for this operation,” Syafi’i said.
East Java provincial secretary Adhy Karyono said that rescue teams had located seven survivors who are still trapped beneath the rubble of the collapsed building.
“The seven victims were found after rescuers managed to drill an opening into the collapsed structure. We’ve already supplied them with food and oxygen,” Adhy said on Tuesday.
“They’re able to communicate and have received food and oxygen. They are alive, but most have sustained serious injuries, likely from being crushed under the debris. Our current focus is on ensuring they can be evacuated safely and as quickly as possible,” he added.
According to local authorities, the collapsed structure did not have a valid building permit and was allegedly constructed without adhering to proper safety and structural standards.
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Abdus Salam Mujib, one of the heads of Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school, said the building was intended to house classrooms and student activity spaces, while the lower floor was already being used as a prayer room, AFP reported.
“The building only had three floors. The plan was to build four floors with a flat roof,” he said.
Lax construction standards have raised widespread concerns about building safety in Indonesia.
Earlier this month, at least four people were killed and dozens injured in Bogor, West Java, when a two-story mosque collapsed during a sermon commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
ANN/The Jakarta Post
