A major rescue operation was launched in Maharashtra's Pune district on Wednesday after a building reportedly collapsed in the Pimpri Chinchwad area, with
officials fearing that at least 15 people may be trapped under the debris. Emergency response teams, including personnel from the fire brigade, police, disaster management authorities and local administration, rushed to the site soon after the collapse was reported. Rescue workers have begun clearing rubble and searching for survivors as anxious relatives and local residents gathered near the scene. Officials said the exact number of people trapped remains uncertain, but preliminary information suggests that at least 15 individuals could be buried beneath the debris. Efforts are underway to ascertain the occupancy of the structure at the time of the collapse. The incident comes at a time when Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad have been witnessing intense rainfall over the past week causing flooding, waterlogging, wall collapses and infrastructure damage across the region. Authorities have been on high alert amid an Orange Alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for parts of Pune district. Recent rain-related incidents in the region have already claimed multiple lives. Pimpri Chinchwad, one of Maharashtra's fastest-growing urban centres, has seen repeated incidents involving construction-related accidents and structural failures in recent years. Authorities are expected to provide further details once search operations progress and the exact number of people trapped, injured or rescued is confirmed. For now, the focus remains on locating survivors and preventing further loss of life.
