Fire breaks out at Serum Institute of India's plant in Pune, Covishield production not hit

A massive fire broke out at Terminal 1 gate of Serum Institute of India in Pune on Thursday afternoon.

The blaze was reported at an under-construction building in the Manjri area of the city. The SII plant is spread over 100 acres in Pune.

Visuals showed large plumes of smoke billowing out of the buildings. As per initial reports, eight fire tenders were rushed to the fire spot.

Also Read: Serum Institute releases advisory on COVID-19 vaccine; things to know before taking Covishield

Meanwhile, the cause of fire is not yet known but is being linked to the massive construction work taking place at the site. Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine 'Covishield' is being manufactured at the Serum Institute's Pune plant.

However, vaccine production was not being carried out at the SII's under-construction building where the fire broke out, sources told India Today. It adjoins the plant where Covishield is being manufactured.

The Serum Institute has entered into a collaboration with the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca to manufacture Covishield.

Also Read: COVID-19 vaccine: India may get most of Serum Institute's initial Covishield stockpile

In November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the pharma major's plant to assess the development of the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of its rollout.

The world's largest coronavirus vaccine rollout was launched last week following the approval of two vaccines - Covishield and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's Covaxin - by the drug controller DCGI. Three crore healthcare and frontline workers are expected to be vaccinated in the first phase.