Rescuers rushed to deliver oxygen and water to students trapped in the unstable concrete debris of a collapsed school building in Indonesia as they tirelessly endeavored to rescue survivors on Tuesday morning, more than 12 hours post the collapse incident. Tragically, one student lost their life, while dozens sustained injuries and 65 individuals were believed to be buried beneath the rubble. The rescuers anticipate the death toll to escalate as the operation progresses.
Throughout the night, rescue teams, police, and military personnel diligently worked to extract eight frail and wounded survivors over eight hours after the catastrophic collapse at the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java. Regrettably, one male student perished, and 99 students were transported to medical facilities with various injuries, with some in critical condition, as per officials.
Anxious families of the students congregated at hospitals or near the collapsed structure, nervously awaiting updates on their loved ones. Heart-wrenching scenes unfolded as relatives sobbed witnessing a dusty and injured student being rescued from the debris. A board at the command post within the boarding school premises indicated 65 individuals as missing as of Tuesday morning. The students, predominantly boys in grades seven to 11 aged between 12 and 17, were among those unaccounted for.
Despite the challenges posed by heavy concrete slabs, rubble, and unstable building sections, search and rescue efforts persisted under the leadership of Nanang Sigit, the search and rescue officer overseeing the operation. While heavy machinery was on standby, concerns about potential further collapses restrained its use. Oxygen and water supplies were continuously provided to those trapped to sustain them while rescue operations continued.
Rescuers acknowledged spotting several bodies amidst the rubble but prioritized saving those still alive. The massive operation involved several hundred rescuers dedicated to the mission. The students were in the midst of performing afternoon prayers in a building undergoing an unauthorized expansion when the sudden collapse occurred, informed provincial police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast.
Residents, teachers, and staff promptly aided the injured students, many of whom suffered head injuries and fractures. Survivors recounted that female students in a separate area managed to escape as the building crumbled. Authorities initiated an investigation into the collapse’s cause, revealing that the old prayer hall, originally a two-story structure, was undergoing unauthorized construction of two additional floors without the necessary permit.
The foundation of the old building seemingly failed to support the additional concrete floors, leading to the collapse during the construction phase, as explained by Abast.