Pune (Maharashtra): Around 15 people remain trapped after a waste mound collapsed and fell onto a three-storey building in the Moshi area of Pimpri Chinchwad on Wednesday following heavy rains, officials said on Wednesday.
Rescue operations are underway and no casualties have been reported.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sought details from the Police Commissioner regarding the building collapse.
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner, Dr Vijay Suryawanshi, said Municipal Corporation’s waste-to-energy plant in Moshi had a massive mound of waste, known as an SLF (Sanitary Landfill), located about 30 meters away from the plant’s three-story administrative building.
“Following heavy rainfall of more than 400 mm over the past two or three days, the waste mound collapsed, much like a landslide, and fell onto the building. Around twenty people were inside the building at the time. Four of them managed to walk out on their own. Around fifteen people remain trapped inside; however, contact has been established with them,” he said.
“Our fire brigade personnel are communicating with them and making every effort to rescue them. The NDRF has arrived at the site. Our fire brigade team is already conducting rescue operations, and an Army team is also on its way. There are no reported fatalities or injuries at present,” he added.
Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Ravi Landge said the city has witnessed heavy rains.
“Due to the heavy rains across the city, water levels have risen significantly. This caused a mass of accumulated garbage debris to collapse onto an office building, bringing down a concrete slab. Sixteen office staff members were eating there at the time; two managed to get out, and rescue operations are currently underway for the others. There have been no deaths; everyone is safe. The fire brigade, NDRF team, police, and the health and environment departments are working together to bring them out,” Landge told ANI.
Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey said rescue operations are underway to bring out stranded people.
He said an Army contingent is also reaching the area.
“About 15 to 16 people on the first floor are currently stranded, and rescue operations are underway to evacuate them. The NDRF has already arrived, and the fire brigade and police have been present from the start; an Army contingent is also on its way. No casualties have been reported,” he said.
