Disaster at Indonesian School: Fatalities Rises to 49 as Rescue Efforts for Missing Students Goes On
Indonesian first responders recovered many additional victims over the recent period, increasing the total fatality count to 49 after a religious building at an religious school fell down last week.
Focused Emergency Efforts In Progress
Using large machinery fitted with breaking equipment, cutting tools and at times their own hands, responders removed large quantities of rubble in a desperate effort to find the 14 students reportedly still lost. Search teams uncovered 35 bodies over the past few days alone, according to the national emergency authority.
Sequence of the Heartbreaking Collapse
The structure crashed down on top of scores of pupils – primarily young men between the ages of 12 to 19 – on 29 September at the historic boarding school in the Sidoarjo district. Of those extracted, 97 were medically attended for different injuries and discharged. Six others sustained serious wounds and continued to be in hospital on Sunday.
Origin of Structural Failure Uncovered
Police allege that two levels were being added to the two-story structure lacking a construction license, causing building collapse. This has provoked broad anger over unauthorized building in the country.
“The building work couldn't support the load while the cement was being placed [to build] the additional level because it didn't meet safety requirements and the complete 800-square-metres structure fell down,” stated a construction expert from a local technical institute.
The expert also commented that scholars must not have been given access inside a facility being built.
Administrative Response
Regional administrator acknowledged the school's management had not sought the necessary authorization before initiating building work.
“Numerous buildings, including traditional school expansions, in countryside locations were built lacking a construction license,” the administrator stated.
Legal Consequences
The country's 2002 building construction code state that permits have to be granted by the competent officials in advance of any construction project, or else proprietors risk penalties and imprisonment. If a violation causes loss of life, this can lead to up to 15 years in jail and a monetary sanction of up to 8bn Indonesian currency (nearly $500,000).
Address from Facility Leadership
The school's caretaker, a well-known religious leader in the region, delivered a public apology in a infrequent appearance a day after the tragedy.
“This is indeed divine destiny so we must all be steadfast, and may God replace it with something better, with a result far superior,” he said. “We must be assured that God will bless those affected by this incident with great compensation.”
Ongoing Inquiry
Legal probes involving Muslim clerics remain sensitive in the largest predominantly Muslim country.
There has been silence from facility management since the tragedy.
“We will examine this incident comprehensively,” the province's top law enforcement officer stated on Sunday.
“Our inquiry also demands expertise from a group of construction experts to determine whether negligence by the school led to the deaths.”
