Fire breaks out again at India’s Serum Institute, vaccine production unaffected; 5 dead

A fire has broken out again in the same building of Serum Institute of India in Pune where five people were killed in a blaze in the afternoon today.

The news of fire breaking out yet again in the vaccine maker's building was confirmed by various Indian news media including The Times of India and News 18.

Pune's Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said five charred bodies were found after the blaze was brought under control.

A few more trapped in the building were rescued. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained but it is being speculated that welding work caused the fire, he said.

The deaths were also confirmed by Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The Covid-19 vaccine maker earlier assured that the production of the AstraZeneca coronavirus shot would not be lost, reports Reuters.

"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," Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said on Twitter.

Videos and pictures from Reuters partner ANI showed black smoke billowing from a building in SII's massive headquarters complex in the western city of Pune.