Moshi Waste-to-Energy Plant Tragedy in Pune: Last Missing Man Recovered After 84 Hours; Final Death Toll at Nine
The massive, grueling search and rescue operation at the collapsed Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant in Moshi, Pune officially concluded at 1:30 AM on Sunday, July 12, following the recovery of the final missing victim. The recovery of his body brings the final death toll of the disaster to nine.
The final victim has been identified as Waman Kasbe. According to administrative officials, Kasbe had just stepped outside the building for a post-lunch walk when a towering mound of garbage, heavily destabilized by days of continuous rainfall, suffered a massive structural failure. The resulting landslide completely engulfed him before crushing the administrative facility.
Unlike the other eight victims who were buried within the building’s structural debris, Kasbe was trapped entirely under the outer garbage mass. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and the PMRDA fire departments initially concentrated their efforts on the collapsed three-storey building. They redirected heavy equipment to clear the external garbage mound on Thursday only after surviving employees alerted them that someone was missing outside.
How the Disaster Unfolded
The tragedy began at approximately 1:30 PM on Wednesday, July 8, when the rain-soaked garbage hill slid directly onto the plant’s administrative building, trapping a total of 23 people.
The initial impact caused the three-storey structure to tilt violently before flattening. Five employees working on the second floor were miraculously flung clear of the structure as it tilted, escaping with minor injuries. In the immediate aftermath, emergency teams successfully pulled nine survivors from the wreckage.
The round-the-clock operation stretched across four intense days:
- Wednesday, July 8: Initial landslide, 5 escape, 9 rescued alive.
- Thursday, July 9: First fatality recovered from the building debris.
- Saturday, July 11: Recovery of 7 additional bodies following a controlled demolition of unstable portions of the concrete structure.
- Sunday, July 12: Waman Kasbe’s body recovered at 1:30 AM, marking the end of an 84-hour operation.
Compliance Under Investigation & Compensation
As municipal authorities launch a full investigation into the failure, local reports indicate potential compliance oversights. Officials have revealed that while the administrative building stood three storeys tall, only the ground floor had been granted an official occupancy certificate by the municipal corporation.
An aggregate compensation package of ₹40 lakh has been cleared for the next of kin of each of the nine deceased individuals. The payout comprises ₹25 lakh from the private contractor operating the plant, ₹10 lakh from the PCMC, and ₹5 lakh from the State Government of Maharashtra.
