2 wadas collapse, 6 rescued in Pune

Some parts of two dilapidated wadas in Guruwar Peth and Shukrawar Peth collapsed in the wee hours of Friday. The fire brigade rescued six residents. However, no casualty was reported in both incidents.

There have been three incidents of collapse of old wadas in the past two days. According to the fire brigade, at around 4 am, the front of an 80-year-old wada near Kasturi Chowk in Guruwar Peth collapsed.

A man, identified as Rushikesh Thakur, sustained minor injuries and was shifted to a hospital before the fire brigade arrived.
Fire officer Sunil Gilbile, who led the rescue operation said, "Though only a small part of the wada has collapsed, it indicated that the entire structure had become very weak."

In another incident that happened within an hour of the first, a portion of the Badhane Wada near Akra Maruti Kopra in Shukrawar Peth collapsed around 5 am. No injuries were reported as the affected portion was not occupied. The rescued persons have been identified as Sudha Janardhan Badane (70), Rayba Ashok Badane (30), Omkar Tanaji Badade, Aishwarya Tanaji Badade (19) and Vishwas Pawar (19).

Gilbile said, "The wada is 80 years old. It could be clearly seen that the rest of the wada has developed many weak spots."A portion of the old Badhane Wada near Akra Maruti Kopra in Shukrawar Peth collapsed on Friday

—Mandar Tannu