Fire breaks out at Serum Institute in Pune, Covishield production won’t be hit

A fire broke out at a gate of Pune-based Serum Institute of India, ANI reported. The fire broke at terminal 1 gate of the institute. According to the reports, 10 fire tenders are present at the institute. The site where the fire broke out, is an under-construction building  and the vaccine and vaccine manufacturing plant are safe, reported ANI.

Serum Institute is an Indian biotechnology and pharmaceuticals company and world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. 

It is also the manufacturer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, Covishield, one of the first COVID-19 vaccines to get restricted emergency approval in the country.

Releasing a statement, Maharashtra CMO said that CM Uddhav Thackeray was in touch with Pune Municipal Commissioner. He has directed state machinery to coordinate and ensure that situation is under control.

Pune Police Commissioner told ANI, “Fire broke out at Manjri plant. Fire fighting operation is on and the building has been vacated. We expect that the fire will be doused in one hour.”

Taking to Twitter, CEO and owner of SII Adar Poonawalla said, “Thank you everyone for your concern and prayers. So far the most important thing is that there have been no lives lost or major injuries due to the fire, despite a few floors being destroyed.”

India began one of the world’s biggest vaccine rollouts on Saturday, aiming to vaccinate 300 million people by July with both Covishield and Covaxin.

Many other countries are relying on the Serum Institute to supply them with the vaccine.

India exported its first batch on Wednesday — to Bhutan and the Maldives — followed by two million doses to Bangladesh and a million to Nepal.

The country plans to offer 20 million doses to its South Asian neighbours, with Latin America, Africa and Central Asia next in line.