The two‑storey waste‑to‑energy building at the Moshi garbage depot in Pimpri‑Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) collapsed on Wednesday, trapping 23 employees inside. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire‑brigade teams launched a massive rescue operation, pulling out nine workers and later identifying seven bodies.

Incident Chronology

The depot houses roughly 1.5 million tonnes of legacy waste spread over ten acres. Unusually heavy rain loosened about five lakh tonnes, causing the mound to slide onto the plant’s foundation. Five workers on the first floor escaped on their own; the remaining nine were rescued by emergency teams. The first body, identified as Akshay Sawant, was recovered at 2:30 pm, followed by Sunil Korke at 5:10 pm.

Search for the Missing Watchman

Authorities believe the eighth person, likely the night watchman, was outside the collapsed structure. The search continues around the depot perimeter, with rescuers now employing excavators and JCBs—equipment initially withheld to avoid endangering any possible survivors.

Official Response

PCMC officials claim a 100‑foot (≈30 m) safety buffer existed between the waste mound and the plant, citing a surrounding 18‑metre service road and 4‑metre margins. However, satellite imagery reviewed by The Indian Express shows the actual gap to be about 16‑17 metres, raising questions about compliance with safety norms.

Political and Policy Implications

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewed the incident but did not visit the site, prompting criticism from victims’ families. He instructed the administration to provide full assistance to affected families and to accelerate biomining of legacy waste at Moshi. Experts warn that without stringent risk assessments, similar disasters could recur across India’s growing waste‑to‑energy sector.