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Indonesia's first responders recovered numerous more victims over the past few days, raising the confirmed death toll to 49 after a worship space at an religious school caved in last week.

Intensive Emergency Efforts In Progress

Employing large machinery equipped with demolition tools, cutting tools and occasionally their unprotected hands, responders cleared tons of rubble in a critical effort to locate the 14 pupils reportedly still lost. Rescuers found 35 remains over the past few days alone, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

Chronology of the Devastating Incident

The structure collapsed on top of hundreds of pupils – mostly boys between the ages of 12 to 19 – on 29 September at the century-old boarding school in Sidoarjo. Of those saved, 97 were cared for for different trauma and released. Six others suffered critical wounds and continued to be under medical care on Sunday.

Reason of Structural Failure Revealed

Police state that extra stories were being added to the original building in the absence of a permit, leading to building collapse. This has triggered extensive anger over unauthorized building in the country.

“The structural work failed to withstand the load while the building material was being placed [to build] the new story because it failed to meet construction codes and the complete 800-square-metres construction collapsed,” explained a structural engineer from Tenth November Institute of Technology.

The specialist also said that pupils ought not to have been permitted inside a structure being built.

Government Reaction

Sidoarjo district's chief confirmed the school's management had not requested the necessary permit before starting building work.

“Numerous buildings, among them typical educational institution additions, in rural regions were erected lacking a construction license,” the official stated.

Legal Consequences

The nation's 2002 building construction code dictate that permits have to be granted by the competent officials prior to any construction, or else owners confront monetary sanctions and imprisonment. If a violation results in death, this can result in up to 15 years in jail and a penalty of up to 8bn rupiah (nearly $500,000).

Statement from Institution Leadership

The school's caretaker, a prominent Islamic cleric in East Java, offered a official statement in a rare appearance a day after the collapse.

“This is certainly God's will so we must all be patient, and may God substitute it with goodness, with a result far superior,” he said. “We must be certain that God will reward those affected by this tragedy with significant blessings.”

Current Investigation

Legal probes concerning Islamic scholars remain delicate in the largest predominantly Muslim country.

There has been silence from facility management since the incident.

“We will probe this matter in detail,” regional senior police official announced on Sunday.

“Our probe also needs expertise from a panel of construction experts to ascertain whether failure by the school led to the loss of life.”