Pune, January 21, 2021: Chief Minister Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray is in touch with the Pune Municipal Commissioner and is taking complete on-ground updates about the fire at Serum Institute of India (SII) plant in Manjari near Hadapsar. He has directed the state machinery to coordinate and ensure that the situation is under control.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been sent to the spot from its base in Sudumbare in Maval taluka of Pune district.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta said, “The fire started around 2.45 pm. The priority is to douse the fire and rescue the workers. The incident took place on the 4th and 5th floor of an under-construction building where vaccine production was to begin in a month.”

Meanwhile, Pune Fire Brigade has rescued some workers who were trapped in the under-construction building where the fire broke out. 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot earlier.

Serum Institute of India has clarified that there is no damage to the Corona vaccine Covishield as they are kept in a different building.

The company has tied up with pharma firm AstraZeneca and Oxford University for the production of Corona vaccine Covishield. It is reported that the Serum Institute would provide 10 crore (100 million) doses of the vaccine in India and other low and middle-income countries.