Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner orders inquiry into Moshi building collapse
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 12 (ANI): Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi has directed officials to issue notices to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Environment Department and contractor Antony Lara Renewable in connection with the July 8 Moshi garbage depot accident that claimed nine lives.
He has also ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident.
The incident occurred on July 8 at around 1:30 pm when a massive heap of garbage collapsed onto the administrative building at the Moshi landfill site.
The death toll in the incident rose to nine on Sunday after another body trapped inside the collapsed administrative building of the Waste-to-Energy project was recovered during the fifth day of the search and rescue operation. The victim has been identified as Vaman Kasbe. Following the recovery, Kasbe was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale described the incident as tragic and distressing, calling for the demolition of substandard and unsound buildings as a preventive measure.
"Several people have lost their lives, and many are injured. The government has already provided Rs 25 lakhs in compensation to the affected families. This is a deeply tragic and distressing incident; such events must not happen, and concerted efforts are needed to prevent them. Buildings that are structurally unsound or substandard need to be demolished to avert such tragedies. The government will certainly pay attention to this matter," the Union Minister told reporters.
According to an official statement released by the PRO of PCMC, a total of 23 people were trapped in the incident, including 22 inside the building and one beneath the adjacent garbage mound. Five people managed to escape safely from the building, while rescue teams evacuated nine others alive on the day of the incident.
The rescue operation has been carried out jointly by the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, PMRDA Fire Department and the police.
On July 9, one more trapped person, identified as Bhavesh Wani, was rescued from the building and shifted to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Authorities said rescuers faced significant challenges in accessing the unstable and heavily damaged structure. To clear debris around the building, 12 excavators, dumpers and JCB machines were deployed. However, the damaged structure remained unsafe, delaying entry into the building.
Later on Friday night, two advanced demolition excavators were brought to the site. Under the technical guidance of the NDRF, the unstable concrete sections of the building were carefully dismantled, enabling rescue teams to enter the structure.
During Saturday's search operation, the bodies of Akshay Sawant (35), Sunil Korke (40), Sunny Mane (39), Mahesh Kumbhar (33), Nagesh Gaikwad (26), Ranjit Patil (22) and Rahul Gaikwad (35) were recovered from inside the building.
All seven were rushed to YCM Hospital in Pimpri, where Medical Officer Dr Laxman Gofane declared them dead.
Officials said one person remained trapped beneath the adjacent garbage mound, who was found today. (ANI)
