Five people were killed in a fire that broke out at Terminal 1 gate of Serum Institute of India in Pune on Thursday.

10 fire tenders were rushed to the institute. The vaccine and vaccine manufacturing plant are safe, reported ANI.

"The five people who died, were perhaps the workers at the under-construction building. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but it is being speculated that welding, that was going on at the building, caused the fire," said Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol.

Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawala offered his condolences to the victims.

"We are deeply saddened and offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the departed."

Maharashtra CMO in a statement said CM Uddhav Thackeray is in touch with Pune Municipal Commissioner & is taking complete on-ground updates.

Thackeray has asked directed the state machinery to coordinate & ensure that situation is under control, the statement further said.

The incident would not affect production of the coronavirus vaccine Covishield, Poonawala had tweeted earlier.

Serum Institute of India is manufacturing Covid-19 vaccine Covishield in partnership with Oxford-AstraZeneca in India.

Source: Time of India

BDST: 1926 HRS, JAN 21, 2021
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