The Moshi garbage dump collapse in Maharashtra’s Pune district has claimed eight lives after rescue officials recovered seven more bodies from the damaged administrative building of the Waste-to-Energy project on Saturday. Authorities are continuing the search for one person still missing.
The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when a massive heap of garbage collapsed onto the administrative building inside the Moshi garbage depot, operated by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
According to officials, 23 people were trapped when the garbage mound gave way at around 1:30 pm on Wednesday. Of them, 22 were inside the administrative building, while another person was buried beneath a garbage mound adjacent to the structure.
Five people managed to escape immediately after the collapse, while rescue personnel pulled nine others out alive on the first day of the operation.
On Thursday, rescuers recovered Bhavesh Wani from the debris. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead by doctors.
The rescue operation involved the Indian Army, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), PMRDA Fire Services, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and the police.
Rescuers faced significant challenges due to the unstable condition of the collapsed building, making it unsafe for teams to enter. Heavy machinery, including 12 excavators, dumpers and JCB machines, was deployed to clear debris and create access routes.
To accelerate the operation, two advanced demolition excavators were brought to the site on Friday night. Under the guidance of NDRF experts, dangerous concrete sections of the structure were removed in a controlled manner, enabling rescue teams to enter the building safely.
During Saturday’s operation, rescue teams recovered seven people from inside the collapsed structure.
The deceased were identified as :
Akshay Sawant (35), Moshi
Sunil Korke (40), Alandi
Sunny Mane (39), Gandharvanagari, Moshi
Mahesh Kumbhar (33), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Nagesh Gaikwad (26), Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Moshi
Ranjit Patil (22), Moshi
Rahul Gaikwad (35), Moshi
All seven were taken to a hospital in Pimpri, where doctors declared them dead, taking the overall death toll in the incident to eight.
Officials said one person is still believed to be trapped beneath the garbage mound next to the collapsed building.
NDRF teams, assisted by sniffer dogs and specialised search equipment, are continuing the operation. Authorities said the rescue mission will continue until the final missing person is located.