A three-storey building at a waste management plant in Moshi, near Pune, collapsed on Wednesday after a massive mound of garbage crashed onto it, leaving at least 11people feared trapped under the debris, officials said.
According to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), 23 people were initially believed to be trapped.
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi said the building was located beside a mountain-like pile of legacy waste.
All agencies are working in coordination, and we are hopeful of completing the rescue operation by Thursday morning," he said.
"The accumulated water caused a massive flow of garbage to surge towards the building, leading to this unfortunate incident," he said.
A three-storey building at a waste management plant in Moshi, near Pune, collapsed on Wednesday after a massive mound of garbage crashed onto it, leaving at least 11people feared trapped under the debris, officials said.
The incident occurred around 1.45 pm at a waste management facility operated by a private firm in Pimpri Chinchwad's Moshi area.
According to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), 23 people were initially believed to be trapped. Five managed to escape on their own, while seven others were rescued during a multi-agency operation, taking the total number of people brought to safety to 12.
Rescue efforts were continuing late into the night to locate and extricate the remaining people believed to be trapped.
The operation involved personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, the Municipal Fire Brigade, the PMRDA Fire Brigade and the police.
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi said the building was located beside a mountain-like pile of legacy waste.
"Prima facie, it appears that due to heavy rains, the waste mound became loose and collapsed onto the building like a landslide," he said.
Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan, who visited the site, said rescuers had established contact with three people trapped beneath the debris.
"The rubble has fallen on their legs and efforts are underway to remove it and bring them out. All agencies are working in coordination, and we are hopeful of completing the rescue operation by Thursday morning," he said.
Mahajan added that rescue teams had managed to provide biscuits and water to two or three people trapped inside the rubble.
The minister said the area had received more than 600 mm of rainfall over the previous 30 to 35 hours, causing water to accumulate at the garbage depot.
"The accumulated water caused a massive flow of garbage to surge towards the building, leading to this unfortunate incident," he said.
In a statement, the Army said a Joint Task Force from the Southern Command, comprising engineering and medical personnel, had been deployed to assist in the rescue operation in coordination with the NDRF and other agencies.
(With inputs from PTI)
