Rescuers in Indonesia's East Java Province face a race against time as the death toll from Monday's school building collapse rose to five, with 84 people still trapped under unstable rubble. The Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo district collapsed during afternoon prayers while undergoing unauthorized renovations, according to local authorities.
"The structure remains highly precarious – every movement risks further collapse," said Nanang Sigit, head of East Java's Search and Rescue Office, describing the challenges faced by hundreds of emergency workers. Seven students were extracted Wednesday, with two succumbing to injuries shortly after rescue.
Authorities are weighing the use of heavy machinery to accelerate debris removal, but Sigit emphasized: "We'll prioritize manual rescue methods while there's hope for survivors." The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has deployed specialized teams with seismic sensors and search dogs to locate trapped victims.
This tragedy has reignited debates about construction safety standards in Indonesia's educational institutions. Data from the Education Ministry shows 15% of school buildings nationwide were classified as "high risk" in 2023. The incident occurred in Sidoarjo, an industrial hub 20 km south of Surabaya, where rapid urbanization often outpaces regulatory oversight.
As night fell Wednesday, volunteers maintained a vigil near the site, while forensic engineers began examining construction materials to determine the collapse's cause. The school's management has been questioned about the unauthorized renovation project.
