3 Students Dead, 38 Trapped in Rubble After Boarding School Collapses During Prayer Time

Three students have reportedly died, and 38 remain missing, believed to be trapped, following the collapse of a school building in Indonesia.

On Monday, Sept. 29, the Al Khoziny boarding school in Sidoarjo, a town on the island of Java, partially collapsed, according to Reuters, the BBC, and Sky News. The incident occurred during the Islamic school’s afternoon prayers, and 99 people were hospitalized, with 38 still unaccounted for, per BBC.

A total of 102 people were evacuated from the collapsed structure, according to Indonesia’s national newspaper Kompas.

Many of the missing are believed to be boys aged 12 to 17, while female students, who were praying separately, escaped from another section of the school, according to Sky News. Among the deceased is a 13-year-old boy, the outlet confirmed.

The collapse reportedly occurred during ongoing construction work at the site, with a police spokesperson telling Sky News that the building work was “unauthorized,” according to Reuters.

“This sudden occurrence caused building material to fall on dozens of students and workers,” disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said, as reported by Reuters.

“The construction was not up to standard… so the whole thing collapsed,” an official told Kompas TV on Monday, noted by BBC.

The foundations of the two-story building were reportedly too weak to support the construction of two additional floors, according to the outlet.

PEOPLE reached out to the police, the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure Government, and Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) for comment but did not immediately receive responses.

Student Muhammad Rijalul Qoib recalled that hundreds of students were praying when debris began falling. “It got louder and louder,” the 13-year-old said, according to BBC. Another student reported numerous injuries, including “broken bones.”

Rescuer Nanang Sigit told a Tuesday press conference that he believed survivors remained under the rubble, as noted by Kompas, and authorities told BBC that crying and shouting could be heard.

“There was one who could still communicate, so we supplied oxygen and also provided drinks and food,” Sigit said. “We have been running oxygen and water to those still trapped under the debris and keeping them alive while we work hard to get them out,” he added to Sky News.

Efforts had to be temporarily suspended on Tuesday due to sudden movement of the collapsed structure, according to the outlet.

Heart-wrenching scenes unfolded as parents sought news of their children. A mother cried, “Oh my God… my son is still buried, oh my God please help,” after seeing her son listed among the missing, Sky News reported. Another father pleaded with rescuers, saying, “Please, sir, please find my child immediately.”