The area surrounding the old wada was cordoned off after it collapsed at Budhwar Peth in Pune on Sunday. (Photo: Ashish Kale)
A 70-year-old woman was among two persons injured when an old wada (a cluster of houses) collapsed in densely populated Budhwar Peth area on Sunday morning.
While most of the houses were already evacuated by residents due to the dilapidated condition of the building, only a few persons had stayed behind.
Officials said the Pune Municipal Corporation had declared the structure unsafe for habitation and issued notice to residents to evacuate it.
According to officials of the Pune City Fire Brigade, the incident took place around 7.10 am and the control room received a call at 7.17 am.
Officials said that around 75 per cent of the building, locally known as Singalia Wada, collapsed, after which local residents called the fire brigade control room. Budhwar Peth is one of most densely populated areas in the heart of the city.
Fire Officer Pradeep Khedekar said, “Local residents told us that the wada was around 100 years old and had been in a dilapidated condition since long. After receiving the call, our rescue vans reached the spot… A 70-year-old woman, Gangubai Kalyani, was trapped under debris of old bricks and rubble. Our rescuers took her out and gave her first aid. Another person, 48-year-old Vinayak Kalyani, was also rescued. Both have sustained injuries and were rushed to a hospital for treatment. Both are out of danger.”
Khedekar added, “Most residents had evacuated the wada days ago. Only one or two families had stayed behind. We have now asked the municipal corporation to raze the entire structure, so that there is not risk to surrounding buildings. They have started the demolition.”
Assistant Inspector Y B Patil of Vishrambaug police station said, “The Pune Municipal Corporation had declared the building unsafe for habitation, yet some people were living in it.”
Incidents of wada collapse are not new to Pune, which houses a large number of such old structures, many of which are in dilapidated conditions in the central part of the city.
Civic officials said there are dozens of such dilapidated wadas where residents are still living despite them being declared unsafe.