At least five people lost their lives when a major fire broke out at the Serum Institute of India, Pune on Thursday afternoon. The fire broke out in a building on the world's largest vaccine producer's 100-acre campus in the Manjri area of the city at around 2.45 pm. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

We have just received some distressing updates; upon further investigation we have learnt that there has unfortunately been some loss of life at the incident. We are deeply saddened and offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the departed.

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 21, 2021

The Serum Institute of India is manufacturing the Covishield vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca.

The fire broke out at around 2.45 pm on Thursday on the fourth and fifth floors of an under-construction building in the Serum Institute's campus in the Manjri area.

The under-construction building is located near the Terminal 1 gate and is quite far away from the Covid-19 manufacturing facility.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences to the family members of the five workers who were killed in a major fire at the Serum Institute of India in Pune.

"Anguished by the loss of lives due to an unfortunate fire at the Serum Institute of India. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest," PM Modi tweeted.

Anguished by the loss of lives due to an unfortunate fire at the @SerumInstIndia. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 21, 2021