Rescue operations are ongoing in Indonesia following the collapse of a school building that trapped numerous students. Emergency workers provided oxygen and water as they searched for survivors more than 12 hours after the disaster occurred at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java.
The incident resulted in the death of at least one student, with dozens more injured and 65 reported missing. Through the night, rescuers managed to extract eight survivors but also witnessed additional bodies under the rubble, suggesting that the fatalities could increase. The team, comprising rescue workers, police, and soldiers, worked through difficult conditions, hampered by unstable debris.
As the morning unfolded, rescue efforts briefly paused due to concerns of further collapses, leading to panic among those present at the site. Families anxiously gathered, some awaiting news outside hospitals, while others offered helpless cries as they watched rescuers bring out students from the destroyed prayer hall.
A notice board at the command post listed 65 students unaccounted for, primarily boys aged 12 to 17. Relatives expressed their anguish as they searched for information about their loved ones. One distraught mother cried out for help upon seeing her child’s name on the board, a scene of heartbreak that was repeated by other parents.
Rescue efforts faced challenges from heavy concrete slabs, and despite having equipment available, officials opted for caution to prevent further danger. “We are supplying oxygen and water to those trapped and keeping them alive while focusing on extricating them,” said Nanang Sigit, a rescue officer leading the operation. While many have been rescued, the ongoing search continues, with several bodies sighted beneath the debris.
The students were reportedly in the midst of afternoon prayers when the building, undergoing an unauthorised expansion, collapsed. Many students suffered severe injuries, with reports indicating that a 13-year-old boy was among the deceased. Investigations into the collapse’s cause are underway, with authorities noting that the existing structure was not designed to support the additional floors being added.
The tragedy has drawn a wave of community support, as locals and school staff worked to assist injured students before the rescue teams arrived. Despite the efforts of several hundred rescuers equipped with medical and extraction tools, the sombre atmosphere persists as friends and families await more news in this desperate situation.