Over 90 Students Trapped After School Collapses in Indonesia
A massive rescue operation is underway in East Java, Indonesia, after a building at the al Khoziny Islamic boarding school collapsed, trapping at least 91 students in the rubble. The structure fell during afternoon prayers on Monday. At least three students have been confirmed dead and around 100 others injured. Over 300 rescue workers are desperately trying to free survivors from the debris of the century-old building, which was reportedly undergoing an unauthorized expansion at the time of the collapse.
Unpacked:
The expansion was reportedly being done without proper permits or oversight, likely to accommodate more students. Authorities stated construction was unauthorized, and the old building’s foundation could not support the added floors, contributing to the collapse.
Rescue teams are avoiding heavy equipment to prevent further collapse, supplying trapped victims with oxygen, water, and food, and using detectors and thermal drones to locate survivors. They are also monitoring the structure to ensure rescuers’ safety.
Indonesia’s disaster agency emphasized the urgent need for stricter enforcement of construction safety standards and is focusing on assessing the site, monitoring the remaining structure, and preparing safe evacuation routes for victims.
Yes, this is the second major building collapse in Indonesia in less than a month. Earlier, three people died when a building hosting a prayer recital collapsed in West Java, raising concerns about broader construction safety issues.