The Serum Institute of India had an extremely mournful day. The Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing Institute- Serum Institute of India faced a huge fire breakout in Pune, triggered by some electrical circuit at some point. Out of nine rescued people, five of them lost their lives in the incident.
The oxford-AstraZeneca developed Covishield vaccine which is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India is used throughout the nation for vaccination drive is produced at the Manjri facility in Pune.
The Chairman and Managing Director of the Serum Institute of India, Cyrus S Poonawalla, said the fire broke out in the facility located in the Manjri Special Economic Zone.
The fire broke out in a building located approximately 1 km from the manufacturing unit of Covishield vaccines.
After a massive fire plagued the three upper floors of the newly constructed premises of the Serum Institute of India, which is a significant leader in the global supply of vaccines against new coronavirus diseases. Five people were killed in the incident.
Two of them are from Uttar Pradesh, two from the district of Pune, and one from Bihar. Four others were rescued from the site.
Whose bodies were retrieved from the fifth floor by fire brigade personnel, police said, adding that nine more were evacuated from the location.
According to reports the first blaze, which was sparked by an electrical fault, erupted around 2 p.m.
A second, a very small blaze, happened at 7 p.m. On the third floor of the same premises. Both fires were put under control, said fire department officials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences for the deaths caused by the fire.
“Anguished by the loss of lives due to an unfortunate fire at Serum Institute of India. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest,” PM Modi tweeted.
The chairman and MD of the Serum Institute of India, Cyrus S Poonawalla said that the institute would give compensation of Rs. 25 lakhs in addition to the mandated sum, to families of people who died in a fire at the company’s Pune premises.
Also, the CEO Adar Poonawalla stated that the fire had no impact on the development of the covid-19 vaccine- Covishield vaccine and no harm to the current stock has occurred either.
Due to the fire at the SII facility, the supply of the covid-19 vaccine will not be affected.
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