Prayers end in a concrete tomb for Sidoarjo boys

Rescue workers searched through collapsed concrete slabs at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, where 91 students remained missing after the structure gave way during evening prayers on Tuesday. The Al Khoziny school building fell as pupils gathered in a ground-floor mosque beneath upper levels under construction about 480 miles east of Jakarta. Three bodies had been recovered by late evening, while 99 children and staff members survived the disaster.

Authorities avoided heavy machinery for fear of further collapse as families gathered near survivor lists seeking information about their children. The disaster mitigation agency said foundations likely could not bear the weight of fourth-floor construction work. A school caretaker reported that building activity had concluded before prayers began, but structural support proved inadequate for completed additions above.

Twenty-six injured victims received treatment at area hospitals as excavators and cranes assisted manual rescue efforts. Relatives described frantic searches through debris, calling out the names of missing students. Officials continued recovery operations while investigating whether improper foundation work contributed to the catastrophic failure during the religious gathering.