Disaster at Indonesia's School: Fatalities Increases to 49 as Search for Unaccounted Pupils Goes On
Indonesia's first responders located dozens further bodies over the weekend, increasing the official number of deaths to 49 after a worship space at an religious school fell down last week.
Focused Search and Rescue Underway
Utilizing large machinery equipped with breaking equipment, cutting tools and at times their own hands, emergency personnel extracted massive amounts of debris in a urgent effort to find the 14 scholars said to be still unaccounted for. Search teams discovered 35 victims over the weekend alone, according to the national emergency authority.
Sequence of the Heartbreaking Event
The building collapsed on top of scores of pupils – primarily boys aged 12 to 19 – on 29 September at the 100-year-old educational institution in East Java. Of those saved, 97 were medically attended for multiple injuries and discharged. Six others sustained serious injuries and remained hospitalised on Sunday.
Cause of Collapse Identified
Police claim that two levels were being built to the existing structure without a permit, causing building collapse. This has sparked extensive public fury over unpermitted construction in the nation.
“The construction couldn't support the load while the concrete was pouring [to build] the additional level because it violated construction codes and the whole 800-square-metres construction collapsed,” stated a building specialist from an engineering university.
The professional also noted that pupils must not have been given access inside a structure undergoing construction.
Administrative Reaction
The local district head verified the school's management had not applied for the mandatory license before commencing building work.
“Many constructions, among them traditional boarding school expansions, in non-urban areas were constructed without a official authorization,” the authority said.
Judicial Ramifications
The country's building safety laws dictate that licenses have to be provided by the appropriate agencies before any construction project, or else proprietors confront monetary sanctions and imprisonment. If a infraction results in death, this can lead to up to 15 years in incarceration and a fine of up to 8bn rupiah (nearly $500,000).
Apology from Facility Leadership
The institution's manager, a well-known religious leader in East Java, offered a official statement in a infrequent public statement a day after the tragedy.
“This is certainly a test from God so we must all be steadfast, and may God replace it with blessings, with a result far superior,” he stated. “We must be certain that God will bless those impacted by this tragedy with great blessings.”
Continuing Inquiry
Judicial probes involving Islamic scholars are still delicate in the world's most populous Islamic country.
There has been no statement from institution administrators since the tragedy.
“We will investigate this case in detail,” regional senior police official announced on Sunday.
“Our inquiry also needs input from a team of construction experts to determine whether failure by the institution led to the fatalities.”
