Islamic Boarding School Building In Sidoarjo Collapses When Hundreds Of Santri Pray

A number of joint officers are looking for victims of the collapsed prayer room building at the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School (Ponpes) in Buduran District, Sidoarjo/ANTARA PHOTO/Umarul Faruq/nz

JAKARTA - The Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School building in Buduran District, Sidoarjo Regency, East Java, collapsed when hundreds of students were performing congregational prayers in the prayer room downstairs.

"Information from the report obtained by officers (how) this incident began," said Deputy for Operations and Preparedness of Basarnas Edy Prakoso as reported by ANTARA, Monday, September 29.

Basarnas in East Java received reports that the incident occurred at around 15:35 WIB when the casting of the building was taking place since morning.

"It is suspected that the foundation was not strong so that the building from the fourth floor collapsed to the ground floor," he said explaining the report received by Basarnas.

Edy ensured that in this incident Basarnas would try its best to help students trapped in collapsed buildings by deploying the best-capable SAR personnel assisted by other joint officers.

One of the seventh grade students of Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTS) Al Khoziny named Wahid, explained that the building of the Islamic boarding school prayer room had shaken before it collapsed.

"When entering the meeting, the two sides of the prayer room collapsed, then spread to other parts of the building," said Wahid.

He admitted that he managed to save himself and invited other students to evacuate immediately. From his confession, the students who were carrying out the congregational prayers amounted to more than 100 students.

Wahid stated that the prayer room building had been renovated to build a room on the third floor.

Until now, dozens of ambulances are still on guard around the scene. Previously, since the afternoon dozens of ambulances had taken injured students to the Sidoarjo Regional General Hospital (RSUD).