15 killed in wall collapse in Pune following incessant rain

At least 15 people, including four children, were killed and four others injured Saturday when a portion of the nearly 22-feet compound wall of a housing society collapsed on shanties located at its base at Kondhwa in Maharashtra, officials said.

The makeshift shelters were set up for labourers working for an under-construction residential project located downward where excavation work was underway.

The incident took place between 1:30 am and 1:45 am, police said.

On the probable cause behind the incident, Pune Municipal Corporation commissioner Saurabh Rao said prima facie, the soil may have loosened due to heavy rain coupled with the excavation work that was carried out "irresponsibly" close to the retaining wall of the housing society.

The intensity of the impact increased as many cars parked along the wall inside the society too fell on the shanties, officials said.

Pune had received 73.1 millimetres of rain on Friday, the second highest rainfall in June since 2010.

A committee has been set up to probe the incident, Rao said.

"Deep excavation work was going on at the site adjacent to the Alcon Stylus society. The retaining wall which caved in was located between the under-construction site and the housing society," he said.

"In the landslide, the 20-22 feet wall caved in and fell on the makeshift shanties of labourers which were put up along the wall," the commissioner said.

"There are set guidelines and dos and don'ts when permission is given for constructing a building. According to preliminary investigation, deep excavation was being carried out in an irresponsible manner at the site. The digging work was going on almost near the wall," the civic chief said.

He said a five-member committee comprising additional collector, officials of Building Permission department of the municipal corporation, labour department and an independent structural expert from the College of Engineering, has been set up to probe the incident.

"The committee will submit its report in the next seven days, and action will be taken against those responsible for the mishap as per findings of the report," he said.

Rao said majority of the deceased hailed from Bihar.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the kin of the deceased, an official said.

"Extremely saddened to know about loss of lives in the Kondhwa, Pune wall collapse incident. My deepest condolences to the families and praying for speedy recovery of the injured. Directed Pune Collector to conduct an in-depth enquiry," Fadnavis said on Twitter.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao also expressed grief over the incident.

"I was deeply saddened to know about the death of innocent workers, including women and children in the incident of collapse of a compound wall of a residential complex in Pune. Every life lost in incident was precious. My heart goes out to the kin of all those who lost their loved ones, and wish speedy recovery to the injured," he said in a statement.

State Congress chief Ashok Chavan urged the Maharashtra government to extend all help to families of the dead and injured.

The deceased have been identified as Alok Sharma (28), Mohan Sharma (24), Aman Sharma (19), Ravi sharma (19) Laxmikant Sahani (33), Sunil Singh (35), Ovi Das (2), Sonali Das (6), Bhima Das (38), Sangita Devi (26), Ajit Kumar Sharma (7), Rekhal Kumar Sharma (5), Niva Devi (30), Dipranjan Sharma and Avdesh Singh.

Pune district officials said ex gratia will be given to the next of kin of the deceased as per provisions of the Disaster Management Act.