A huge fire breaks out at the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer in India

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A large fire broke out on Thursday in the large complex of the Serum Institute in India, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world.

Images from Reuters partner ANI showed smoke coming out of a building in the massive SII complex in the western city of Pune in southern Maharashtra.

“Thank you all for your care and prayers,” SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Twitter. “So far the most important thing is that no major lives or injuries have been lost due to the fire, despite the destruction of several floors.”

He added in a later tweet: “I would like to assure all governments and the public that there will be no loss of #COVISHIELD production due to several production buildings that we have kept in reserve to cope with. such contingencies at @SerumInstIndia. ”

Employees leave as the smoke rises from a fire at the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, on January 21, 2021.
Employees leave as the smoke rises from a fire at the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, on January 21, 2021.
Rafiq Maqbool / AP

The company produces approximately 50 million doses per month of a vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca at other facilities in the complex.

Officials said at least five fire trucks had been sent to fight the flames in the building, which a source described Reuters as “a vaccine factory under construction”.

The smoke rises from the Serum Institute, the manufacturer of the AstraZeneca / Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine, in Prune, India, on January 21, 2021.
The smoke rises from the Serum Institute, the manufacturer of the AstraZeneca / Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine, in Pune, India, on January 21, 2021.
Rafiq Maqbool / AP

No injuries were reported and there was no immediate message about the cause of the fire.

Poonawalla told the Associated Press last month that SII hopes to increase production capacity from 1.5 billion doses to 2.5 billion doses per year by the end of 2021.

Serum Institute of India produces approximately 50 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca per month.
Serum Institute of India makes approximately 50 million doses per month of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca.
Rafiq Maqbool / AP

Of the more than 12 billion doses expected to be produced this year, rich countries have already bought about 9 billion, and many have options to buy even more.

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