Dozens of Students Killed in Collapse of Indonesian Islamic School

On September 29th, a prayer hall at the century-old Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, Indonesia collapsed, trapping hundreds of students underneath. Rescue efforts over the past week have resulted in the recovery of 49 bodies, with 14 students still reported missing as of October 6th, 2025.

Using heavy machinery and sometimes their bare hands, rescue teams have been working around the clock to sift through the tons of rubble in search of survivors. The two-story building had been undergoing illegal construction to add a third floor without the required permit, leading to the structural failure that caused the devastating collapse.

Authorities have confirmed that the school's management did not obtain the necessary construction permit prior to the expansion, a common issue with traditional boarding schools in non-urban areas of Indonesia. The tragedy has sparked widespread anger over lax building regulations and the lack of enforcement, which has resulted in numerous unsafe structures across the country.

While the school's caretaker offered a public apology, expressing that "this is God's will," the East Java police have vowed to conduct a thorough investigation to determine if negligence by the school led to the deaths of the young students.