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A major fire has broken out at the site of the world’s largest coronavirus vaccine maker.
Today plumes of smoke can be seen rising from the Serum Institute of India (SII).
Millions of doses of the Covidshield vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, are being produced at the Pune, India plant.
A source from the institute said that the production of the vaccine will not be affected, reports Metro.
Local media has suggested the fire occurred at a construction site located at the facility, which spans 100 acres.
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The cause of the fire has not yet been established, according to reports.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO and owner of SII, said on Twitter: “Thank you all for your concern and your prayers.
“So far the most important thing is that no lives or serious injuries have been lost by the fire, despite the fact that some floors have been destroyed.”
IBS is manufacturing a vaccine developed for India and other low- and middle-income countries.
The company is also preparing to produce a vaccine being developed by the American company Novavax Inc.
India launched a major vaccine rollout on Saturday, aiming to inoculate 300 million people by July.
The country exported its first batch of the Covishield vaccine on Wednesday to Bhutan and the Maldives, Metro said.
It has also shipped 2 million doses to Bangladesh and 1 million to Nepal.
India plans to offer 20 million doses to neighboring countries in South Asia, followed by Latin America, Africa and Central Asia.
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