21 January,2021 05:22 PM IST | Mumbai | ANI
Firefighters try to control a fire that broke out at India`s Serum Institute in Pune on January 21, 2021. Photo: AFP
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is in touch with the Pune Municipal Commissioner and is taking complete on-ground updates on the fire that broke at the under-construction building of Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune on Thursday afternoon. At least 5 people are reported dead and six have been rescued safely, health minister Rajesh Tope confirmed.
"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," Maharashtra CMO tweeted.
As many as 10 fire tenders were rushed to SII where millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine are being manufactured. One team of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) was also moved for SII.
"Fire broke out at Manjari plant. Production wasn't done there but the preparation was on to begin it at a later stage. Fire fighting op is on, the building has been vacated but we're re-checking. Fire will be doused in an hour. No problem at vaccine plant/storage," said Pune Police Commissioner.
It may be noted that the country's apex drugs regulator had granted restricted emergency use permission to SII's Covishield vaccine in India.
Millions of vaccine doses are being manufactured by Serum Institute under technical collaboration with Oxford University/Astra Zeneca. It is pertinent to note that COVISHIELD (SII-ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) vaccine contains the replication-deficient simian adenovirus vector ChAdOx1, containing the structural surface glycoprotein (Spike protein) antigens of SARS-CoV-2.
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