By Michelle Ndaga
A massive rescue operation is underway in East Java after the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School collapsed during evening prayers earlier this week, leaving scores of students trapped beneath rubble for days.
The disaster struck on Monday, September 29, when part of the school building gave way as dozens of students gathered in the mosque area. Authorities have confirmed at least three deaths and nearly 100 injuries, with some victims suffering broken bones and head wounds. Officials say more than 90 students and staff remain unaccounted for.
Rescue teams comprising soldiers, police, and disaster agency workers have been racing against time to locate survivors. Over 300 personnel are working cautiously around unstable debris, using light equipment to avoid triggering further collapse.
Oxygen and water are being funneled through narrow gaps to those still trapped. Families anxiously wait nearby, scanning hospital lists and makeshift noticeboards for news of their children.
Investigations suggest the tragedy was caused by an unauthorized vertical expansion of the building. Heavy concrete floors were added without permits, overburdening foundations not designed to carry the extra weight.
Safety lapses have fueled public anger and prompted calls for tighter enforcement of construction standards in Indonesia’s pesantren (Islamic boarding schools).
While female students escaped largely unharmed as they had been praying in a different section the collapse trapped many young male students aged between 12 and 18.
Officials warn that the death toll could rise as rescuers struggle to access deeper sections of the rubble. The government has promised a full investigation into those responsible for the unsafe expansion.
This tragedy has cast a spotlight on building safety in Indonesia, where rapid expansion of religious and community institutions often outpaces regulatory oversight. For now, hope remains pinned on rescuers’ ability to reach survivors before time runs out.
