Daijiworld Media Network - Pune

Pune, Jul 9: One person was killed and nine others were rescued after a three-storey building collapsed at a waste-to-energy plant in Moshi, near Pune, when a massive mound of garbage gave way following heavy rain, officials said on Thursday.

The building, located within the waste management facility, was buried after a mountain-like pile of legacy waste collapsed onto it on Wednesday afternoon, trapping several workers inside.

A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) recovered one body from the debris on Thursday morning. The deceased was identified as Bhavesh Wani, who was declared dead after being brought to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, hospital authorities said.

Nine persons have so far been rescued in the multi-agency operation. Rescue teams suspect that seven to eight people may still be trapped beneath the debris.

According to an NDRF official, rescuers have located two individuals who appeared to be motionless beneath the rubble. He said the debris is being removed manually, as the use of heavy machinery could destabilise the structure and endanger those trapped.

The rescue operation is being carried out jointly by the NDRF, the Indian Army, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) fire brigade, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority fire brigade and the police.

Officials said several employees of Antony Lara Renewable Energy, which operates the 14 MW waste-to-energy plant in collaboration with the PCMC, were among those trapped.

Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi said preliminary findings indicate that continuous heavy rainfall loosened the large mound of old waste, causing it to collapse onto the adjacent building like a landslide.

Rescue efforts were continuing at the site on Thursday.