Fire in Serum Institute; Covishield facility not affected

Team Udayavani, Jan 21, 2021, 4:30 PM IST

Image Credit: ANI

Pune: Three persons were evacuated from a building in the Serum Institute of India’s Manjari premises here after a fire broke out there on Thursday, police said.

There is no impact on the Covishield vaccine making process as the fire broke out in a facility away from the place where the anti-coronavirus vaccines are made, sources said.

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.

Viral visuals from the site showed smoke billowing out from the Serum Institute facility.

“We have sent water tenders to the spot,” a fire brigade official said, adding the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

The Manjari facility is where the Covishield vaccine used in the nationwide inoculation drive against the pandemic is made.

The building where the fire broke out is part of the under-construction site of the Serum facility and Covishield production has not been affected by the fire, sources said.