Sun Oct 05 22:21:56 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Indonesia Boarding School Collapse Death Toll Climbs as Rescue Efforts Continue**

SIDOARJO, Indonesia – The death toll from the collapse of the Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java, has risen to at least 40, with rescue teams still searching for survivors amidst the rubble. The tragedy occurred on Monday as construction work was underway on the upper floors of the school, adding to the weight of the structure.

According to witnesses, the collapse happened suddenly as concrete was being poured. Students like 16-year-old Muhammad Royhan Firdaus were injured while attempting to flee. While over 100 students managed to escape, dozens remain unaccounted for, believed to be trapped under the debris. Despite thermal drones revealing no new signs of life, search operations persist.

The incident has raised questions regarding the safety protocols at the school and the decision to conduct construction while students were present. However, remarkably, many parents, deeply rooted in the conservative religious community served by the boarding school (known as a *pesantren*), are reluctant to place blame. They expressed a desire for their children to return to Al-Khoziny once it is rebuilt.

“We consider this a tragic accident,” explained Yuni, Muhammad’s mother, echoing the sentiment of other parents interviewed.

Experts like Mohammad Abduh, a civil engineering lecturer, suggest the added weight of the construction likely contributed to the building’s structural failure, highlighting a common issue of unplanned additions to existing structures in Indonesia.

The Al-Khoziny boarding school is considered a center of religious knowledge, which may play a role in the parents’ reluctance to blame the school. Despite the tragedy, the school maintains a strong standing within the community. The family of one missing 14-year-old student, Muhammad Fajri Ali, said they “decided as a group that we would not blame the school or anyone else for what happened.”

**Summary of the Text:**

A boarding school in Indonesia collapsed due to construction work adding weight to the upper floors of the structure. At least 40 people died. Rescue teams are searching for survivors, but thermal drones reveal no new signs of life. Despite the tragedy, parents of students express reluctance to blame the school.

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