🔗 Share this article

Indonesia's rescue teams recovered dozens more remains over the past few days, increasing the confirmed death toll to 49 after a worship space at an Islamic boarding school fell down last week.

Relentless Emergency Efforts Ongoing

Using heavy excavators outfitted with jackhammers, circular saws and at times their unprotected hands, emergency personnel cleared tons of rubble in a urgent bid to discover the 14 pupils said to be still missing. Rescuers found 35 victims over the past few days alone, according to the national emergency authority.

Chronology of the Tragic Event

The building crashed down on top of scores of pupils – primarily boys aged 12 to 19 – on 29 September at the 100-year-old boarding school in the Sidoarjo district. Of those rescued, 97 were treated for multiple injuries and discharged. Six others suffered serious wounds and were still in hospital on Sunday.

Origin of Collapse Uncovered

Police state that extra stories were being constructed to the original facility lacking a construction license, leading to structural failure. This has provoked broad anger over unpermitted construction in the nation.

“The building work failed to withstand the pressure while the building material was being placed [to build] the new story because it didn't meet safety requirements and the entire 800-square-metres building fell down,” said a structural engineer from Tenth November Institute of Technology.

The professional also commented that scholars should not have been allowed inside a building being built.

Government Statement

Sidoarjo district's chief verified the educational facility's leadership had not sought the necessary authorization before initiating the project.

“Various constructions, such as traditional educational institution additions, in rural regions were erected without a permit,” the official commented.

Judicial Implications

The nation's building safety laws dictate that permits have to be provided by the relevant authorities prior to any building work, or else management confront fines and jail time. If a violation leads to death, this can result in up to 15 years in incarceration and a monetary sanction of up to 8bn Indonesian currency (nearly $500,000).

Statement from Institution Management

The school's caretaker, a respected Muslim scholar in East Java, delivered a public apology in a unusual address a day after the incident.

“This is indeed divine destiny so we must all be resigned, and may God substitute it with blessings, with an outcome much better,” he stated. “We must be confident that God will compensate those touched by this event with great rewards.”

Ongoing Investigation

Legal investigations involving Muslim clerics continue to be contentious in the world's most populous Islamic country.

There has been no comment from school officials since the incident.

“We will examine this matter thoroughly,” regional senior police official announced on Sunday.

“Our probe also demands input from a team of building specialists to determine whether negligence by the institution led to the deaths.”