Waste mountain flattens building in Pune, traps 18: Day after nine were rescued, one of those trapped found dead, eight still missing

The building was located next to the mound of the Secure Landfill Facility (SLF). Due to heavy rain in the region, the mound came down like a landslide on the building. There were 23 people in the building at the time and five managed to escape. The remaining 18 were trapped.

Written by: Manoj Dattatrye More, Soham Shah

5 min readPuneJul 10, 2026 01:38 AM IST

Pune building collapse, Pimpri Chinchwad, Moshi area, rescue operation, trapped people, fire brigade, emergency response, building debris, civic officers, unknown cause

Officials said the structure that collapsed was the administrative building of the waste-to-energy project for which the PCMC has an agreement with Antony Lara Renewable Energy Ltd.(File)

A day after a large portion of a three-storeyed building at the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)’s waste-to-energy facility in Moshi collapsed, flattened by an adjacent large mound of waste that toppled on the building in heavy rain, eight persons buried under the debris remained untraced till late Thursday night.

Nine persons were rescued till late Wednesday after 18 people were trapped under the debris. One person was pulled out of the rubble on Thursday morning but was declared dead. However, the remaining eight are still missing despite rescue operations continuing through the day.

The building was located next to the mound of the Secure Landfill Facility (SLF). Due to heavy rain in the region, the mound came down like a landslide on the building. There were 23 people in the building at the time and five managed to escape. The remaining 18 were trapped.

All 18 are employees at the waste processing facility and were on their lunch break at the time of the incident around 1.30 pm. Officials said the structure that collapsed was the administrative building of the waste-to-energy project for which the PCMC has an agreement with Antony Lara Renewable Energy Ltd.

Speaking to The Indian Express, PCMC City Engineer Sanjay Kulkarni, who also heads the civic environment department and the Moshi garbage depot, said the building was constructed at least 30 metres away from the garbage mountain. “The building was constructed following all norms. It is wrong to say we had not taken adequate safety steps. Besides, we keep clearing it. Soil is put in the garbage which hardens it. As a result, even trucks and JCBs go atop it to clear the garbage in a phased manner.”

The PCMC blamed heavy rainfall for the slip. “We never thought the hardened stuff would loosen this way. It has never happened over the years. Due to heavy rainfall, water entered the garbage mound, which came loose and fell on the building. A road separates the building and the garbage. The construction of the building was done as per laid-down norms,” he said.

Asked why a retaining wall was not constructed, Kulkarni said, “As the building was at a safe distance from the heap of garbage we never thought about it.”

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Angry relatives of the missing persons slammed the PCMC. “The building should not have been constructed so close to the mountain of garbage. The civic body does not seem to have taken enough care to ensure the safety of those working in the garbage depot,” said Santosh Kumbhar, a relative of Mahesh Kumbhar, who remains untraced so far.

Opposition leader Bhausaheb Bhor from the NCP said the PCMC has been negligent in ensuring the safety of the employees and a culpable homicide case should be filed against those responsible. Echoing his views, Narendra Bansode, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad Congress, said, “The PCMC has clearly played with the lives of employees. All those guilty should be made accountable and punished.”

Outside the garbage depot, families of those still missing waited in agony as the rescue operations stretched to over 30 hours.

HR Assistant Mahesh Kumbhar’s brother Santosh Kumbhar rushed to Pune from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar when he got to know that Mahesh was trapped in the building. It has not even been a month since Mahesh’s marriage, and he was looking for a flat on rent so that his wife could shift to Pune with him, Santosh said.

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“We got a call at 1 am and I left at 2 am, reached here at 10 am. No official has met me till now and I don’t know if the people of the company are even here. Other than the phone call, the company has not told us anything. We just hope that everyone comes out safely,” he added.

Waman Kasbe, missing in the rubble, is from Beed and had shifted to Pune over 15 years ago. He worked as a cleaner at the plant, informed his nephew Krushna Kasbe. Several family members sat on the roadside near the rescue operations with teary eyes.

Santosh Kharat, uncle of missing office boy Nagesh Gaikwad, had not left the premises of the plant since he arrived the previous day. “We can only hope, what else can we do? It is very unfortunate. Fortunately some people were able to get out.”

“We are helpless as we can’t do anything. When the pace of work increases our hope rises that someone is being rescued. But we spent last night here and it seems we might have to spend another night here as well,” he said.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Pimpri Chinchwad Fire Department, PMRDA Fire Brigade, and police administration are jointly carrying out the rescue operations. NDRF officials said they have been extremely careful while handling the rubble. “That is why we were successful in rescuing nine persons. We have worked both manually and with machines. We thought we could finish the work today itself but it was not possible. We are making all-out efforts to pull out those who are missing,” said an NDRF official.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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