Indonesia School Collapse Leaves Three Dead, Dozens Feared Trapped

At Sidoarjo-Indonesia, what should have been a quiet afternoon of prayer turned into a scene of horror and heartbreak when part of the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in East Java collapsed on Monday, killing at least three people and leaving dozens more missing.

Rescue workers continued to dig through the debris on Tuesday, searching for 38 students and construction workers believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. At least 99 people survived, though nearly 80 were hospitalized with injuries ranging from broken bones to severe trauma. The accident has shaken this community just outside Surabaya, some 780 kilometers east of Jakarta, and sparked urgent questions about safety standards in Indonesia’s rapidly expanding education sector.

Outside the school compound, families huddled together, praying and scanning a handwritten list of survivors’ names posted on a whiteboard. Television images showed mothers clutching headscarves, fathers pacing nervously, and younger siblings clinging to relatives as they waited for word.

“My son was inside when the building fell,” said Ahmad Fauzi, whose 14-year-old has not been accounted for. “I just want to see him again, whether alive or dead.”

The collapse occurred just after the call to afternoon prayers, a time when many students and teachers had gathered inside. Survivors described a sudden roar, followed by choking dust and screams for help. More than 200 rescue workers have been deployed, using excavators and cranes to remove heavy debris. But search and rescue officials said they must work cautiously.

“We are balancing speed with safety,” explained Nanang Sigit, a local rescue coordinator. “Some parts of the structure are still unstable. Using heavy equipment everywhere could trigger another collapse.”

The urgency is heightened by the dwindling chances of survival for those trapped more than 24 hours beneath concrete and steel.

Preliminary investigations suggest that structural weaknesses may have played a decisive role. Officials from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that the building’s foundation was not designed to support the weight of a newly added fourth floor.

“This is not just a tragedy, it is a failure of oversight,” said Abdul Muhari, BNPB spokesperson. “The construction work had been ongoing, and there are strong indications that safety standards were ignored.”

Abdus Salam Mujib, a caretaker of the Al Khoziny School, admitted that concerns had been raised about the foundation’s strength. “The building work was completed before prayers, but clearly, the load was too much,” he told state news agency Antara.

The collapse has drawn immediate attention from national leaders. President Joko Widodo expressed condolences and called for a full investigation, while local lawmakers demanded accountability from contractors and regulators. Critics say the disaster exposes deeper problems in Indonesia’s booming private education sector, where Islamic boarding schools, known as Pesantren, play a vital social role but often operate with limited resources and inconsistent oversight.

“Pesantren are central to community life, but too many are built quickly and cheaply to meet demand,” said Fajar Riza Ul Haq, an education analyst. “This tragedy should force us to confront the systemic neglect of school infrastructure.”

In the meantime, the focus remains on the desperate search for survivors. Volunteers, many of them fellow students and alumni, have joined professionals in digging through rubble by hand. At a nearby mosque, clerics are leading prayer vigils while emergency tents serve as makeshift shelters for displaced students.

The collapse has also reopened painful debates about Indonesia’s disaster preparedness. The country is no stranger to tragedies caused by lax safety enforcement, from factory fires to ferry sinkings. Each disaster leaves grieving families—and a trail of unheeded warnings.

As the sun set over Sidoarjo on Tuesday, rescue teams pressed on. Families still waiting for news clung to hope, even as reality set in.