Tragedy at Indonesian School: Death Toll Climbs to 49 as Search for Lost Pupils Continues
Indonesia's rescue teams found numerous additional victims over the weekend, increasing the official death toll to 49 after a religious building at an Muslim educational institution caved in last week.
Focused Search and Rescue Ongoing
Using heavy excavators fitted with demolition tools, cutting tools and occasionally their own hands, emergency personnel cleared large quantities of rubble in a urgent bid to discover the 14 scholars said to be still missing. Emergency workers found 35 bodies over the weekend alone, according to the government disaster agency.
Sequence of the Tragic Collapse
The construction crashed down on top of hundreds of pupils – primarily male students between the ages of 12 to 19 – on 29 September at the century-old educational institution in the Sidoarjo district. Of those saved, 97 were cared for for different wounds and released. Six others suffered serious injuries and were still in hospital on Sunday.
Origin of Collapse Revealed
Law enforcement claim that extra stories were being built to the original structure without a construction license, resulting in catastrophic failure. This has provoked widespread anger over illegal construction in the country.
“The building work couldn't support the pressure while the concrete was pouring [to build] the third floor because it failed to meet standards and the whole 800-square-metres building caved in,” stated a structural engineer from a local technical institute.
The specialist also commented that pupils ought not to have been permitted inside a building being built.
Government Reaction
The local district head verified the institution's administration had not applied for the necessary license before initiating the project.
“Many constructions, such as typical educational institution extensions, in countryside locations were erected in the absence of a official authorization,” the official said.
Judicial Implications
The nation's construction regulations specify that authorizations have to be provided by the relevant authorities before any building work, or else owners confront monetary sanctions and jail time. If a breach results in fatalities, this can result in up to 15 years in jail and a fine of up to 8bn local currency (nearly $500,000).
Statement from Facility Administration
The institution's manager, a respected Islamic cleric in the province, offered a official statement in a infrequent appearance a day after the tragedy.
“This is certainly divine destiny so we must all be resigned, and may God replace it with goodness, with an outcome much better,” he remarked. “We must be assured that God will compensate those touched by this tragedy with substantial blessings.”
Ongoing Investigation
Legal investigations concerning religious leaders are still delicate in the largest Islamic country.
There has been silence from school officials since the incident.
“We will investigate this matter comprehensively,” regional senior police official announced on Sunday.
“Our probe also demands expertise from a team of structural engineers to determine whether carelessness by the facility caused the fatalities.”
