Al-Khoziny School Collapse Kills Several, Scores Trapped

On Sept. 29, part of the multistorey Al-Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, collapsed during afternoon prayers, leaving scores of students buried under rubble. School records suggest roughly 90–91 people are believed trapped or unaccounted for, while rescuers have pulled several survivors and recovered at least five dead. About 300 rescue workers are racing against the 72-hour “golden period,” digging tunnels, deploying thermal-sensing drones and delivering oxygen and water, but operations are being hampered by the structure’s instability and risks that heavy machinery could trigger further collapse. A magnitude-6.5 quake in the region has packed debris tighter and complicated access, narrowing chances for survival. Authorities have launched an investigation into possible structural and construction failings that may have caused the collapse.