Building Collapses After Garbage Mound Falls On It Near Pune, 15 Trapped

Distance between the office building and the garbage mound is 16-17 m according to Google Earth satellite imagery from March 2026. (Credit: Google Earth) Satellite imagery shows that the distance between a collapsed garbage mound — under which 8 people were still trapped till Friday evening — and the office of a waste to energy plant on which it fell, was around 16-17 metres, and not 30 metres as Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) officials had claimed. According to a distance measurement tool on Google Maps, the distance between the top of the building and the point where the vertical section of the garbage mound begins from was around 16.76 m before the collapse.Following incessant rains, a huge garbage mound at a Moshi landfill collapsed on the office of a three-year-old waste-to-energy plant on July 8. The plant was built and run by Antony Lara Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd for Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. The force from the mound led to a partial collapse of the office building of the company, trapping staff inside. Nine people were rescued on the first night of rescue operations, and one person was declared dead after being pulled out of the rubble the next morning. Eight more were still feared stuck inside the collapsed building as rescue operations continued for over 55 hours till Friday evening. Sanjay Kulkarni, PCMC city engineer, said on Thus=rsday that the building was constructed 30 metres away from the garbage mound following all prescribed norms. The figure has been used by officials to claim the building was built a sufficient distance away from the landfill and appropriate safety measures had been taken. Traffic on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway’s Missing Link was disrupted after a landslide near the exit of Tunnel 2. (Express photo by Narendra Vaskar)When asked about the satellite image showing the garbage was just 16-17 metres away, Kulkarni said he could not comment on technical aspects while rescue operations were still underway. The tunnel portal exit on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway that faced the landslide. (Express photo by Narendra Vaskar)All 18 who were rescued and were still trapped were employees at the waste processing facility. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Pimpri Chinchwad Fire Department, PMRDA Fire Brigade, and police administration were jointly conducting rescue operations. The partially-destroyed building is at risk of a complete collapse, which could likely impede rescue operations. 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 profe

An Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered, and the RAK Marg police are investigating whether there was any negligence on the part of the contractor or others responsible for the worksite. A 34-year-old worker died after allegedly falling from the 22nd floor of a high-rise building in Mumbai’s Wadala, police said. According to police, the incident occurred on July 6 at a 22-storey Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) building, where work on the terrace is still underway, although possession has already been handed over to several flat owners.Police said the victim, Dharmendra Prajapati, had been working with the contractor for the past three months and had been staying on the 22nd floor of the building for about a month. Preliminary investigations suggest that he may have woken up during the night, lost his balance, and fallen to the ground. Prajapati was a native of Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh and had come to Mumbai around three months ago in search of work. He was employed as a carpenter by a contractor at the building site. The incident came to light on the morning of July 6 when residents noticed his body lying in a pool of blood on the ground floor and alerted the police. During the inquiry, the police traced the contractor in Vasai and contacted Prajapati’s relatives in Deoria after two days. “Due to heavy rainfall and a power outage in Vasai, the contractor’s mobile phone was switched off, which delayed our efforts to contact him to get the details of the deceased and his relatives,” a police officer said. The police are recording the statement of Prajapati’s brother, who arrived from Uttar Pradesh after learning about the incident. Based on his statement, the police will decide on the registration of an FIR.Story continues below this ad An Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered, and the RAK Marg police are investigating whether there was any negligence on the part of the contractor or others responsible for the worksite. Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region. Expertise & Authority Affiliation: Reports for the nationally recognized daily, The Indian Express, providing his content with high Trustworthiness. Geographical Focus: Provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of breaking news and investigative matters across Mumbai and the surrounding regions (e.g., Thane, Vasai). Core Authority: His reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial beats, including: Cyber & Financial Crime: Extensive coverage of sophisticated scams, including cases involving high-value cyber fraud, stock market manipulation scams, and fraudsters using government figures to gain trust. Law Enforcement & Investigation: Reports directly on major police actions, including arrests made by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in fraud cases (e.g., MHADA flat scams) and detailed coverage of murder and kidnapping investigations. Major Incidents & Public Safety: Covers significant incidents like building collapses, road accidents, and public safety issues such as theft at large public events. Defence & Maritime: Also covers key updates regarding the Indian Navy, including the commissioning of new vessels and strategic defense announcements. Manish Kumar Pathak's consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. ... Read More Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram Tags: Mumbai

The administrative building was situated next to a mountain-like pile of legacy waste. At least 15 people are feared trapped as a building collapsed in Pimpri Chinchwad in Pune district.The building collapsed because a huge mound of garbage crashed into it amid heavy rain. The police, the fire department and the NDRF teams reached the spot and are conducting a rescue operation.The incident occurred in Moshi, where the three-storey building was being used as an administrative office for a private company processing waste on behalf of the city's civic body."The administrative building was situated next to a mountain-like pile of legacy waste. Prima facie, it appears that due to heavy rains, the waste mound became loose and collapsed on top of the building," Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi told PTI.Most of those trapped are believed to be the employees of the private company who were at work inside the building when the garbage mound struck it.The officer said the rescue operation is in full swing. Show full article