Rescuers Work Nonstop as Hopes Fade in Sidoarjo School Collapse
October 3, 2025 | 4:39 pm
Sidoarjo, E. Java. More than 400 rescuers are working around the clock to recover victims from the collapse of a prayer hall at the Al-Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, as hopes of finding survivors fade five days after the tragedy.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said search-and-rescue (SAR) operations have been running 24 hours a day with teams rotating shifts. Using heavy machinery, cranes, and advanced detection tools such as flexible search cameras and wall scanners, authorities are gradually clearing debris from the collapsed structure.
“Over 400 personnel are on site, working day and night,” BNPB chief Suharyanto said Friday. “Every update will be communicated three times a day so the public remains informed.”
Authorities confirmed that as of midday Friday, 111 people had been accounted for: 14 remain hospitalized, 89 have been discharged, and nine have died. At least 58 others are still missing.
BNPB has dispatched additional logistics, including 200 body bags, 250 sets of protective equipment, and multiple heavy-duty vehicles, to sustain the operation for at least a week. Police bomb squads and military personnel are securing the perimeter, while Red Cross teams and volunteers provide support.
Hospitals in Sidoarjo, Surabaya, and Mojokerto are treating the injured, some of whom suffered severe trauma. Syailendra Haical, a student who was pulled alive from the rubble after communicating with rescuers in a video that went viral, faces possible amputation of his left leg due to vascular damage. Doctors are still observing his condition before making a final decision.
Hospital officials said at least two other survivors have already undergone amputations. “We are still treating seven patients intensively, including those who had amputations,” said Atok Irawan, director of Sidoarjo General Hospital. “We are also providing psychological support to help victims cope with trauma.”
Families of the missing have gathered at Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Surabaya to provide fingerprint and DNA samples, along with personal documents such as diplomas, to help forensic teams identify recovered bodies. Four victims had been formally identified by Friday afternoon.
Rescue teams, now in the demolition stage, have begun using cranes to lift large concrete slabs after confirming that no signs of life remain beneath the debris. “We only deployed heavy machinery after ensuring no further survivors could be detected. Families have also given their consent,” Suharyanto said.
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