Hanoi (VNA) – At least three students have been killed and dozens are missing following the collapse of an Islamic boarding school in Indonesia’s East Java province, local authorities said on September 30.
Rescuers are urgently searching for 38 people suspected to be trapped in the rubble after a prayer hall collapsed at the school.
As of noon on the same day, the number of confirmed victims was 102, including three dead and 99 survivors, of whom about 80 injured people were taken for treatment.
Hundreds of rescuers and specialised equipment were mobilised, but the search was difficult due to the unstable structure of the remaining building. Rescuers could not use heavy machinery because of the risk of further collapse.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of September 29 at Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo town, when students were performing afternoon prayers.
Initial investigations revealed that the building originally had only two floors, but two more floors were added without permission. The weak foundation could not bear the weight, leading to the collapse during the concrete pouring process. Officials warned that the death toll could continue to rise as rescue efforts continue./.
