Building collapse at Pimpri-Chinchwad waste facility kills one, traps workers amid monsoon rains

A building at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's waste-to-energy plant in Moshi collapsed on July 8, 2026, after an adjacent decades-old garbage mound gave way like a landslide during heavy monsoon rain, trapping approximately 18 employees inside. One worker died and nine were rescued by a multi-agency operation involving the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, police, fire department, and municipal administration. Rescue teams continued searching for the remaining trapped workers as state authorities mobilized emergency resources and senior officials visited the site.

State minister visits Moshi site as NDRF leads overnight rescue effort

Nine workers were rescued overnight from the wreckage of a building that collapsed at the Pimpri-Chinchwad waste-to-energy plant in Moshi, with search and rescue teams continuing efforts to locate an estimated ten to twelve others believed to be trapped. The facility is operated by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. State Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan visited the site and addressed reporters, stating that ensuring no further loss of life was the government's absolute priority. He said the garbage dump at Moshi has been operational since 1982 and is approximately 47 years old. A department building had been constructed adjacent to it. Continuous rainfall over two days caused the accumulated garbage to slip and collapse like a landslide, bringing down half of the building. About 22 to 23 employees were inside at the time the structure gave way; five managed to escape immediately. Mahajan said he directed senior officials and rescue agencies to conduct relief operations more quickly and effectively. A joint team comprising NDRF, SDRF, municipal administration, police, and medical personnel was deployed and given instructions to spare no effort in reaching trapped survivors as rapidly as possible. Officials said all possible efforts were underway to ensure the safe rescue of every individual trapped in the debris. [7]

Sensors and sniffer dogs deployed as rescue teams search for remaining workers

Eighteen workers were trapped when a large portion of the three-storied building at the PCMC waste-to-energy facility in Moshi collapsed at around 1:30 pm on July 8, 2026. All 18 were facility employees who had been on their lunch break at the time of the incident. The collapse was triggered by an adjacent mound of waste that fell onto the structure after heavy rain, acting like a landslide. Rescue teams extracted nine survivors from the floor above the basement and took all nine to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital. One employee's body was recovered from the same floor and the person was declared dead. Pimpri Chinchwad Fire Department officer Rushikant Chipade said that according to the employee list provided to rescue teams, approximately eight more people may be trapped on the same floor. Sniffer dogs deployed at the site were unable to detect activity, with Chipade noting the strong odor of the landfill may have interfered with their effectiveness. Rescue teams also used vibration sensors, sound sensors, and motion sensors, running each test three times; none detected signs of activity from the remaining trapped workers. Efforts to reach those still inside the collapsed structure were continuing. [8]

Sources: [7] Deccan Herald · [8] The Indian Express