Moshi Building Collapse Kills One, 17 Rescued

A building collapse at the Waste-to-Energy project in Moshi, Pimpri-Chinchwad, has resulted in the death of one person, with 17 people rescued so far. The rescue operation, which has entered its 22nd hour, is still underway, with six people believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when a massive mound of garbage collapsed onto a two-storey administrative building, burying it under tonnes of waste. The building housed offices and facilities of the project operated by Antony Lara under the Public-Private Partnership model on behalf of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force, Army, Fire Brigade, and other agencies are working together to search for those trapped. They are adopting a cautious approach, using a Poclain excavator to create an opening and manually clearing garbage and debris to reach those trapped safely.

The collapse is believed to have been caused by continuous heavy rainfall in the Pune district, which caused a massive heap of garbage to slide onto the building. The incident has raised questions about safety measures at the site.

The rescue operation is ongoing, with teams working carefully to prevent further collapse and bring out the remaining workers without causing injuries.

The Indian Army's Joint Action Force has also joined the operation, working in coordination with other agencies. The use of heavy machinery is being avoided to prevent endangering the lives of those still trapped.

The incident has highlighted the need for improved safety measures at the site, and an investigation is likely to follow