On Monday afternoon, students at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo (East Java) experienced a sudden nightmare when a building under unauthorized renovation collapsed during afternoon prayers. 😔
As of Wednesday, the death toll has risen to 5, and over 84 people remain trapped under unstable ruins, according to Nanang Sigit, head of the East Java Search and Rescue Office. “Today we evacuated seven students—five alive and two dead,” he told Xinhua.
The rescue scene is both frantic and fragile: hundreds of volunteers and agency teams are on site, carefully sifting through debris. Officials say the structure is still unstable, so heavy machinery is on standby but won’t be used unless all survivors are accounted for. Using big equipment too soon could risk more lives. 👷🚧
The incident quickly went viral on Indonesian social media, with netizens sharing prayers, updates and safety reminders. 🔄
Authorities believe the collapse was linked to unauthorized renovation work—reminding us how vital building safety rules and proper permits are, especially in schools where young lives hang in the balance. 🏫
Our thoughts are with the students, families and rescuers in Sidoarjo as they navigate these harrowing days. Let’s hope for more survivors and a thorough investigation into what went wrong. 🙏
Reference(s):
Death toll from Indonesia school building collapse rises to 5
cgtn.com
