Indonesia school collapse kills three, leaves 38 missing in East Java

Indonesia school collapse kills three, leaves 38 missing in East Java

On Sept. 29, 2025, at least three students were killed and dozens were missing after an Islamic boarding school collapsed in Indonesia's East Java province, according to Al Jazeera's report. The school, Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, came down at about 3 p.m. on Monday as students were gathering for afternoon prayers, trapping people under debris and prompting a large rescue operation.

National Search and Rescue Agency head Mohammad Syafii said the number of victims stood at 102, made up of 99 survivors and three deaths. The National Agency for Disaster Management said rescuers were searching for 38 people believed to be trapped under the rubble, while 11 people had been rescued directly from the debris and 91 others managed to escape on their own.

The same agency said 77 victims were taken to several hospitals in the area for treatment. That figure shows how large the immediate human cost was even beyond the confirmed dead and the still-missing. The report said officials were focusing on assessing the site, monitoring what remained of the building structure and preparing evacuation routes for victims still inside the collapse zone.

Authorities said the school's foundation pillars gave way while crews were concreting the fourth floor of the building. That detail matters because it points to a construction failure, not just a sudden natural disaster. The agency's statement also called attention to the need for strict implementation of construction safety standards and urged technical supervision during building work to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The collapse also came less than a month after another deadly building disaster in Indonesia. Officials had already reported that at least three people were killed and dozens injured when a community hall hosting a Quran recital collapsed in Bogor district on Sept. 3. The comparison does not explain the Sidoarjo collapse, but it does underline how another structural failure has now added to a worrying recent pattern.

For now, the numbers remain fluid because 38 people were still believed to be trapped when the update was issued. But the verified facts are already severe: three dead, dozens missing, 77 in hospital and a rescue effort racing against a damaged structure whose collapse appears to have been tied to ongoing construction work.

The rescue burden was substantial. With 77 victims already in hospitals and 38 people still believed trapped, responders had to work with a damaged building that could shift again at any moment.

The report's mention of a fourth floor under construction and falling foundation pillars points to a structural failure in an occupied school, which is why the agency pressed the need for technical supervision and safety standards. That is not just bureaucratic language; it is the difference between a site that can be made safe and one that keeps endangering rescuers and survivors.

The earlier Bogor collapse gives the story broader resonance because it suggests a second recent case in which public buildings failed under pressure. Even without connecting the two incidents, the pattern is enough to make construction safety a national concern.