Prayer hall collapse at Indonesian school kills one, leaves one missing

At least one student has died and dozens were injured after a prayer hall collapsed at the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Buduran, Sidoarjo, Indonesia, on the afternoon of September 29. 

A total of 89 students were evacuated from the rubble, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Thirty-eight were treated at R.T. Notopuro Sidoarjo Hospital, six at Delta Surya Hospital, and 45 at Siti Hajar Hospital. One 13-year-old boy, Maulana Alfian Ibrahim, died and was later buried in Bangkalan, Madura. One student remains unaccounted for.

“I am still waiting for news about my child. His whereabouts are unknown, even though he was in the mosque when the collapse happened,” said Novi, the father of the missing student.

Some of the rescued students sustained minor injuries, including cuts to the face and chin. Rizki Ramadhan, a survivor, said the incident occurred while hundreds of students were performing the afternoon prayer.

“There was concrete casting on the upper floor, and suddenly it collapsed downward,” he recalled.

Raden Abdus Salam Mujib, head of the school, said the collapse likely occurred because the structure could not bear the weight of freshly poured concrete during a planned three-storey expansion.

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) sent additional teams from Jakarta to speed up the evacuation, while East Java authorities are covering all medical costs for the victims. Field kitchens, oxygen, and water supplies have been provided for those still trapped under the debris.

“Medical teams and volunteers are working in shifts to ensure vital needs are met,” East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said on September 30.

The collapse happened around 2:40 p.m. local time during the afternoon prayer, prompting anxious families to gather overnight at Siti Hajar Hospital for information about their loved ones.

By Aghakazim Guliyev