Moshi Garbage Dump Collapse: Rescue Operation Intensifies

Moshi Garbage Dump Collapse: Rescue Operation Continues on War Footing

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Rescue operations are continuing on a war footing after a massive garbage mound collapsed onto a building at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) waste depot in Moshi on Wednesday afternoon.

According to officials, around 23 people were inside the building when the accident occurred. Five individuals managed to escape immediately after the collapse, while rescue teams launched an intensive operation to save those trapped beneath the debris.

By 8:00 PM, rescue personnel had successfully rescued six more people alive, while efforts continue to locate and rescue the remaining approximately 12 trapped individuals.

Multi-Agency Rescue Operation Underway

The rescue mission is being jointly carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, PCMC Fire Brigade, PMRDA Fire Brigade, Disaster Management teams, and Pimpri-Chinchwad Police.

Heavy machinery, including JCB excavators and earthmoving equipment, is being used to remove the massive pile of garbage and debris while ensuring the safety of those trapped inside.

The rescued victims have been shifted to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCM Hospital) and nearby private hospitals for further treatment.

Senior Officials Monitoring the Situation

PCMC Commissioner Dr. Vijay Suryawanshi and Police Commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey are personally supervising the rescue operation at the site.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Water Resources and Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan visited the accident site to review the rescue efforts.

MLAs Mahesh Landge and Shankar Jagtap, Mayor Ravi Landge, Standing Committee Chairman Abhishek Barne, and Party Leader Prashant Shitole were also present during the inspection.

Three Trapped Workers in Contact with Rescuers

Speaking to the media, Minister Girish Mahajan said continuous rainfall over the past two days had destabilised the garbage mound, leading to the collapse.

He confirmed that of the 23 people believed to be inside the building, 11 have either escaped or been rescued safely, while rescue teams are working to reach the remaining trapped workers.

“We are in communication with three workers trapped inside. Debris has fallen on their legs, and teams are carefully removing the rubble to rescue them safely. Every available resource has been deployed, and we expect the rescue operation to continue through the night,” Mahajan said.

People Rescued Alive

The following individuals have been rescued safely during the operation:

Somnath Shelke

Sachin Davadgaon

Dadasaheb Arde

Sujata Shinde

Rampratap Chavan

Ranveer Singh

The following individuals managed to escape safely immediately after the incident:

Ashok Gupta

Munendra Kumar

Chandrashekhar Singh

Dinesh Sutar

Shri Bala

Authorities have stated that rescue operations will continue until every trapped person is safely evacuated.