Sidoarjo: Rescue efforts are ongoing at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, following the building’s collapse on Monday during afternoon prayers. The structure, which was under unauthorized construction to add two extra stories, fell unexpectedly, trapping nearly 60 students, mostly teenage boys, beneath the debris.

As of today, authorities have confirmed five fatalities, and more than 30 students and staff are receiving treatment in local hospitals. Rescue teams are working around the clock to locate survivors, but the unstable rubble continues to pose significant challenges. Heavy machinery is being used with extreme caution, while rescuers provide oxygen, water, and food through narrow gaps in the debris.

The collapse has raised serious concerns about building safety standards at Islamic boarding schools across Indonesia, with local officials promising stricter oversight to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Communities are anxiously waiting for news of those still trapped, but hopes of finding survivors diminish as time passes.

Authorities continue to appeal for calm and support from residents as the intensive search and rescue operation proceeds.