Cops, 3 govt agencies launch probe into Serum Institute fire

Police authorities, a forensic teamand officials from the fire wings of three Maharashtragovernment agencies on Friday launched a probe to ascertainthe cause of the blaze at the Serum Institute of Indiaspremises here, which claimed five lives.Five contractual labourers died in the fire that brokeout in a five-storey building in the SIIs Manjari premises onThursday.

Police authorities, a forensic teamand officials from the fire wings of three Maharashtragovernment agencies on Friday launched a probe to ascertainthe cause of the blaze at the Serum Institute of India'spremises here, which claimed five lives.

Five contractual labourers died in the fire that brokeout in a five-storey building in the SII's Manjari premises onThursday. The fire damaged the top two floors of the buildinglocated in 'SEZ 3' area of the premises of the vaccine major.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta on Friday saidthey have started investigating the incident.

''Our investigation started today afternoon. Our crimebranch team, a forensic team reached the spot to begin theprobe,'' he said.

According to him, the statements of people who workedthere are being recorded.

''Based on the outcome of the probe, further course ofaction will decided,'' Gupta said.

When asked if the forensic team has collected anysamples from the spot, he answered in the affirmative.

Meanwhile, top officials from fire wings of threeagencies- Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pune MetropolitanRegion Development Authority (PMRDA) and MaharashtraIndustrial Development Corporation (MIDC)- are carrying out ajoint probe into the incident.

Prashant Ranpise, PMC's fire department head saidthere was no sign of any smoke at the spot right now, however,as a precautionary measure, a fire brigade vehicle has beendeployed at the building.

Soon after incident, a case of accidental death wasregistered at Hadapsar police station, officials said.

The Manjari facility is where Covishield, the SIIvaccine against COVID-19, which is being used in thenationwide inoculation drive against the infection, is made.

The building where fire broke out is one km from theCovishield vaccine manufacturing unit.