A 16-year-old boy was rescued after falling nearly 70 feet from an under-construction flyover in Panvel while reportedly bursting firecrackers during Diwali celebrations, prompting a difficult night-time operation by the Panvel Municipal Corporation fire brigade.
The teenager, a resident of Old Panvel, fell into a difficult-to-access area near the flyover leading towards the Navi Mumbai International Airport at around 10.25 pm on November 10, officials said. The fire brigade received information about the incident and immediately sent two fire engines to the location.
Firefighters who reached the site found that the boy had fallen approximately 70 to 80 feet below the flyover. The area was difficult to reach, requiring additional personnel and rescue equipment, according to an official cited in the report.
Two firefighters then trekked nearly 1.5 km on foot through difficult terrain to reach the teenager. The rescue team used three ropes, a body harness, helmets and three torches to secure and extract him from the area. After carefully fastening the harness, the firefighters pulled the boy up to the flyover and brought him to safety.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of Deputy Fire Station Officer Shubham Rathod. Firefighters Shiva Ade, Shubhangi Ghule, Shankar Wakade, Vikrant Sapkal, Sunil More, Pritam Patil, Nikitesh Dukare and Pranay Mhaskar participated in the rescue. Drivers Akash Nalwade and Shivlal Aldar also assisted the team.
The incident has highlighted the safety risks around unfinished infrastructure sites, particularly when members of the public can reach areas with open edges, uneven terrain or substantial drops. The report did not specify the teenager’s medical condition after the rescue.
Chief Fire Officer Pravin Bodkhe appealed to citizens not to gather at the under-construction flyover or burst firecrackers there, warning that ongoing construction work could expose people to accidents. The location is on a route connected to the developing Navi Mumbai International Airport area, where construction activity and changing access conditions are reshaping movement around Panvel.
Panvel Municipal Commissioner Mangesh Chitale congratulated the firefighters and other personnel involved in the operation for their courage, prompt response and coordination. The fire brigade’s warning remains focused on preventing public access to the construction site during festive gatherings and avoiding further accidents at the location.
