Fire at Serum Institute: 5 killed, Covishield vaccine manufacturing unaffected

At least five people lost their lives when a major fire broke out at the Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune on Thursday afternoon. The fire broke out in a building on the world's largest vaccine producer's 100-acre campus in the Manjri area of the city at around 2.45 pm. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

The Serum Institute of India is manufacturing the Covishield vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca.

While the fire sent the alarm bells ringing across the globe, the company has confirmed that it did not affect the production of the Covid-19 vaccine.

It took at least 15 fire tenders almost two hours to douse the fire, which was reported from an under-construction building quite far away from the plant manufacturing Covid-19 vaccine Covishield.

Here's all you need to know about fire at Serum Institute

When and where fire broke out?

The fire broke out at around 2.45 pm on Thursday on the fourth and fifth floors of an under-construction building in the Serum Institute's campus in the Manjri area.

The under-construction building is located near the Terminal 1 gate and is quite far away from the Covid-19 manufacturing facility.

It took around 15 fire tenders almost two hours to douse the fire. a few hours later a second fire was reported in the same building. The fire tenders were present at the spot and quickly doused the blaze.

Image credit: AFP

What was the damage caused by the fire?

When the fire broke there were over a dozen people trapped inside the building, while nine people were rescued safely, five suffered fatal injuries.

Five people who lost their lives in the blaze have been identified as Rama Shankar Harijan and Bipin Saroj residents of UP, Sushil Kumar Pandey from Bihar; and Mahendra Ingle and Pratik Pashte from Pune. All were contractual labourers and were engaged in electrical works.

Chief Fire Officer Prashant Ranpise said that the fire also gutted furniture, wiring and cabins. No major machinery or instruments were stored on the floors where the fire broke out, he said.

We have just received some distressing updates; upon further investigation we have learnt that there has unfortunately been some loss of life at the incident. We are deeply saddened and offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the departed. — Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 21, 2021

The Serum Insitute announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 25 lakh to the next of kin of those who died in the fire.

In a statement, Cyrus S Poonawalla, Chairman & Managing Director, Serum Institute of India offered condolences to the families of those killed in the fire. "In this regard, we will be offering a compensation of INR 25 lakhs to each of the families, in addition to the mandated amount as per the norms. We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone for their concerns and prayers in these distressing times," he said.

Was Covishiled manufacturing affected?

The Serum Insitute has assured that the manufacturing of the Covid-19 vaccine Covishielf was not affected by the incident.

"I would like to reassure all governments & the public that there would be no loss of #COVISHIELD production due to multiple production buildings that I had kept in reserve to deal with such contingencies at @SerumInstIndia," SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said in a tweet.

PM Modi, President Kovind offer condolences

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the death of five workers in the fire at the Serum Institute.

"The loss of lives in a fire accident at the Serum Institute of India in Pune is distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured," President Ram Nath Kovind's official Twitter handle said.

PM Modi said he was anguished by the loss of lives. "In this sad hour, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest," PM Modi said in a tweet.

Anguished by the loss of lives due to an unfortunate fire at the @SerumInstIndia. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 21, 2021

State govt orders probe

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited the Serum Insitute hours after the fire and took stock of the situation. While talking to the media at the institute, Ajit Pawar said that the government has ordered a probe.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar also applauded the fire brigade for their work and that the government was trying its best to gather more information

"Contractor's men were working on that floor (where the fire broke out) and when the fire brigade officials went there, they found five completely burnt bodies. Two of them were from UP, two from Pune and one was from Bihar," Ajit Pawar said.

"Fire brigade has done good work. As per my info, CM will also visit the site tomorrow. The place where Covid vaccine is manufactured was not affected. I was informed that preparation was going on at this building (site of fire) to make Rotavirus vaccine," he said,

"Our government is trying its best to gather more information. Energy Audit teams have been instructed to conduct fire audit, they will do it tomorrow," the Maharashtra deputy CM said.

Centre takes stock of situation

Union minister Prakash Javadekar spoke to officials in Pune and took stock of the fire that broke out at the plant of the Serum Institute of India. The authorities also dispatched a team of Nationa Disaster Response Force (NRDF) to control the fire.