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Indonesia's rescue teams located numerous further victims over the past few days, bringing the total number of deaths to 49 after a worship space at an Islamic boarding school collapsed last week.

Relentless Search and Rescue In Progress

Employing large machinery outfitted with jackhammers, cutting tools and at times their own hands, responders removed large quantities of wreckage in a urgent attempt to discover the 14 pupils reportedly still unaccounted for. Search teams found 35 remains over the weekend alone, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

Sequence of the Devastating Event

The structure collapsed on top of numerous of scholars – mostly young men between the ages of 12 to 19 – on 29 September at the historic school in the Sidoarjo district. Of those rescued, 97 were medically attended for various trauma and sent home. Six others sustained critical injuries and continued to be hospitalised on Sunday.

Reason of Collapse Uncovered

Police state that additional floors were being constructed to the existing building lacking a official authorization, leading to catastrophic failure. This has sparked widespread anger over illegal construction in the country.

“The building work was unable to bear the load while the cement was pouring [to build] the additional level because it didn't meet standards and the complete 800-square-metres structure fell down,” explained a building specialist from an engineering university.

The expert also said that students must not have been given access inside a building undergoing construction.

Government Response

Regional administrator verified the school's management had not sought the required license before starting construction.

“Many constructions, such as conventional educational institution extensions, in countryside locations were built lacking a official authorization,” the authority said.

Legal Ramifications

Indonesia's 2002 building construction code dictate that authorizations have to be granted by the competent officials in advance of any building work, or else proprietors risk monetary sanctions and imprisonment. If a breach leads to fatalities, this can culminate in up to 15 years in incarceration and a monetary sanction of up to 8bn Indonesian currency (nearly $500,000).

Apology from Institution Management

The school's caretaker, a well-known Muslim scholar in the region, delivered a public apology in a infrequent address a day after the tragedy.

“This is truly divine destiny so we must all be patient, and may God compensate with something better, with a result far superior,” he said. “We must be assured that God will reward those impacted by this event with substantial rewards.”

Ongoing Inquiry

Legal inquiries related to Muslim clerics are still sensitive in the biggest Islamic country.

There has been no statement from school officials since the collapse.

“We will probe this incident thoroughly,” East Java's senior police official said on Sunday.

“Our inquiry also demands guidance from a team of building specialists to establish whether carelessness by the school led to the deaths.”