Pune, Jan 21 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday evening visited the under-construction building at Serum Institute of India (SII) premises here where a major fire killed five people, and took stock of the situation.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the premises of the vaccine major in the Manjari area of the city, Pawar termed the death of five contractual labourers in the fire as "unfortunate".

"Among the five, two were from Pune, two from Uttar Pradesh and one from Bihar," he said.

"Though the fire has been doused now, a team of fire brigade, police and officials from district administration is still at the site," said Pawar, who is also the guardian minister of Pune district.

All five died in the fire that broke out in a five- storeyed under-construction building in the SII's Manjari premises in the afternoon, police said.

Their bodies were recovered by fire brigade personnel from the fifth floor, police said, adding nine others were evacuated from the spot.

Pawar said after dousing flames in the evening, a small fire broke out at the top floor of the (five-storeyed) building, but it was extinguished immediately.

Pawar said it is difficult to speculate on how the fire broke out and added a different team will launch an investigation on Friday to find out the cause.

"Initially, it was told that there was no human loss. The reason behind it was that all employees of the SII were safe. However, on last two floors, some contractual workers were doing their work," he added.

He said during the colling off process, when fire brigade officials went to the top floor, they found five completely bodies charred.

Pawar said there is 99 per cent possibility that there is no casualty beyond five.

"We are not saying 100 per cent because right now there is no light and smoke is still emanating from the (top) floor," he said.

Pawar said fire brigade teams did a good job during the cooling-off operation.

He confirmed that production of Covishield, the SII vaccine against COVID-19 which is being used in the nationwide inoculation drive, has not been affected.

"We have been told that there is a facility nearby (fire site) where the Rotavirus vaccine is being currently stored.

"They were planning to produce more Rotavirus vaccine and preparation to create a facility for the same was going on in the building," he added.

Pawar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to the SII, had toured the first and second floors of the same building.

"The fire broke out at the floors above the third floor. Each level comprised two floors (20 feet floor)," he said.

Pawar said fire and energy audits of the affected facility will be carried out on Friday.

"I was told that after the fire broke out, water sprinklers fitted in the building, were activated. However, considering the fire's intensity, the water sprinklers were of no use," the Deputy Chief Minister added.

"Investigators will check whether due safety measures were taken or not...or whether guidelines related to SEZs were followed or not," he said.

Some people are saying that the fire took place due to welding works which were going on in the facility, Pawar said.

"However, all these discussions are based on hearsay. Only a detailed investigation will ascertain if sparks emanating during welding works caused the fire," he added.

Meanwhile, NCP president Sharad Pawar termed the fire at the SII premises as "very tragic and unfortunate" and condoled the death of five people in the incident.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)