The building where the fire broke out is part of the under-construction site of the Serum facility
Five persons died and nine were evacuated from a building in the Serum Institute of India’s Manjari premises in Pune after a big fire broke out at the facility. The building where the fire broke out is part of the under-construction site of the Serum facility and is one kilometre from the Covishield manufacturing unit, PTI reported.
The fire will not affect the production of coronavirus vaccines, SII, CEO, Adar Poonawalla has said.
Poonawalla had first tweeted that no lives had been lost and later posted that news had come in of the deaths.
He tweeted, “We have just received some distressing updates; upon further investigation we have learnt that there has unfortunately been some loss of life at the incident. We are deeply saddened and offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the departed.”
The building where the fire broke out is part of the under-construction site of the Serum facility and is one kilometre from the Covishield manufacturing unit, PTI reported.
Videos and pictures from news agency ANI showed thick black smoke billowing out of a grey building.
Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said it appears the five persons who died in the fire were working on the building floor. Fire officials recovered the bodies during an inspection, he said.
The fire, which broke out at 2.45 pm on the fourth and fifth floors of the SEZ 3 building in the Serum Institute premises, was brought under control in two hours, police said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Namrata Patil told PTI that nine people were evacuated from the spot after the fire broke out.
Chief Fire Officer Prashant Ranpise said cooling work has commenced at the spot. Fifteen water tankers were pressed into action and the fire was brought under control around 4.30 pm, he said.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
