Fire at Serum Institute of India LIVE Updates: Ajit Pawar reaches Pune to take stock of situation; SII chief says no major injuries reported

16:47 (IST)

No casualties or major injuries, says Adar Poonawalla

Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla tweeted"  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." He also thanked everyone for their prayers and concerns. A fire had broken out the Serum Insitute of India on Thursday afternoon and officials said three persons have been evacuated so far.

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.

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 21, 2021

16:36 (IST)

Ten fire tenders deployed, says fire brigade official

Prashant Ranpise, the Chief Fire Officer with Pune City Fire Brigade told The Indian Express that the fire call was received around 2.30 and the details about the nature of fire, the extent of damage or the cause are not yet known.

“Because there is a lot of smoke emanating from the affected area, it becomes difficult to locate the source of the fire and bring it under control. We have now deployed a total 10 fire tenders, a hydraulic lift and other equipment," the official said. Ranpise added that search was also on to check whether any more people are trapped.

16:20 (IST)

Uddhav Thackeray in touch with Pune Municipal Commissioner

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is in touch with the Pune Municipal Commissioner and is taking complete on-ground updates. He has directed the state machinery to coordinate and ensure that the situation is under control, tweeted the Chief Minister's Office.

CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray is in touch with the Pune Municipal Commissioner and is taking complete on-ground updates. He has directed the state machinery to coordinate and ensure that the situation is under control. https://t.co/NlcVtf33TG

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 21, 2021

16:10 (IST)

Three evacuated so far

Three persons were evacuated from a building  in the premises after a fire broke out there on Thursday,  PTI quotes police as saying. Deputy Commissioner of Police Namrata Patil told PTI the fire broke out at 2.45 pm on the fourth and fifth floor of the SEZ 3 building in the Serum Institute premises."As per the primary information, three people have been evacuated," she said.

16:10 (IST)

Fire broke out at under-construction building in Manjari

As per the latest information, the blaze has occured at an under-contruction building of the SII in Manjari area of Pune. The fourth and fifth floors of SEZ3 building inside Terminal Gate 1 of Serum Institute of India is affected by the fire. 

Watch | A fire broke out today at the #SerumInstituteofIndia in Pune at a facility, which is under construction. Massive efforts are on to put out the blaze.

NDTV's Purva Chitnis reports pic.twitter.com/0gCUAoH5wN

— NDTV Videos (@ndtvvideos) January 21, 2021

15:58 (IST)

Fire breaks out at Serum Institute of India's Pune facility

A major fire broke out at the Serum Institute of India's Pune facility on Thursday, reports said. At least 10 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. SII has been in news recently because it is one of the two vaccine manufacturers for the COVID-19 pandemic, whose product is in circulation under the ongoing inoculation drive. The vaccine manufacturing facility is also in the same premise, reportedly. 

This is a developing story. Watch this space for latest updates. 

Serum Institute of India Fire Latest Updates: Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla tweeted"  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." He also thanked everyone for their prayers and concerns. A fire had broken out the Serum Insitute of India on Thursday afternoon and officials said three persons have been evacuated so far.

Three persons were evacuated from a building  in the SII premises after a fire broke out there on Thursday, said police.Deputy Commissioner of Police Namrata Patil told PTI the fire broke out at 2.45 pm on the fourth and fifth floor of the SEZ 3 building in the Serum Institute premises."As per the primary information, three people have been evacuated," she said.

 

A fire broke out at the Serum Institute of India's Manjari plant in Pune on Thursday afternoon, as per several media reports.

"The fire broke in a building in the premises. We have sent water tenders to the spot,"  PTI quoted  a fire brigade  official as saying.

#UPDATE Maharashtra: Fire continues to rage at the fourth and fifth floors of SEZ3 building inside Terminal Gate 1 of Serum Institute of India in Pune. More details awaited. https://t.co/WF2jVeJejj

— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2021

As per the news agency, the Manjari facility is where Covishield vaccine, used in the nationwide inoculation drive against the coronavirus
pandemic, is made.

However,  a Hindustan Times report quoted SII executive director Dr Suresh Jadhav as saying that the fire broke out at a facility where work related to the BCG vaccine-related was underway and the facility where Covishield, the COVID-19 vaccine, is manufactured and stored is located at a distance from this facility.

A fire brigade official told the Indian Express that the fire broke out the second floor of a new building at the campus. An official who is supervising the rescue operation told the newspaper that four people were stuck when the blaze intensified and three of them have been evacuated. "Efforts are on to safely evacuate the fourth person,” said the officer who is supervising the rescue operation.

India has approved two vaccines – Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech and  Oxford/AstraZeneca's Covishield being manufactured by SII.

With inputs from PTI

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