Pune: Moshi Landfill Disaster Claims 9 Lives After 83-Hour Rescue
Pune: Moshi Landfill Disaster Claims 9 Lives After 83-Hour Rescue
Tragedy strikes Pune's Moshi waste plant as an 83-hour rescue operation concludes, revealing 9 fatalities from a building collapse. Learn about the heroic efforts and the devastating aftermath.
The arduous 83-hour search and rescue operation at Pune’s Moshi garbage depot has officially concluded, bringing a somber end to a harrowing week. Officials confirmed early Sunday morning that the body of the last missing employee, identified as Waman Kasbe, was recovered. This tragic discovery brings the final death toll from the building collapse to nine, marking a devastating outcome for the community. Kasbe’s body was transported to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) in Pimpri.
The fatal incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon around 1:30 PM when a massive mound of legacy waste slid onto a ground-plus-two-storey building. This structure housed the administrative offices of a waste-to-energy plant at Moshi, operated by a private firm under an agreement with the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Most employees were having lunch in the first-floor canteen when the disaster struck. While five employees managed to escape immediately as the building began to collapse, 23 people were initially reported trapped.
Rescue teams faced immense challenges throughout the operation, battling the unstable conditions of the partially collapsed building and navigating through an enormous volume of garbage and debris. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the PMRDA fire brigade, and various other disaster management agencies worked tirelessly. Their efforts focused on stabilizing the structure and creating safe access routes before entering the dangerous site, utilizing heavy machinery like JCBs and excavators.
Ultimately, of the 23 individuals caught in the incident, 14 were rescued alive, while nine tragically lost their lives. A senior PCMC official confirmed that all individuals reported trapped have now been accounted for. Compensation has been announced for the families of the victims, though it does little to alleviate the profound loss felt by those affected by this disaster.
