Pune: The Iveco Magirus vehicle played a vital role to douse the fire which broke out at the Serum Institute of India on Thursday. A first-of-its-kind in Pune city, the 60-metre-high piece is new firefighting equipment acquired by a private township in Hadapsar. The modernised vehicle on Thursday helped the firefighters to battle the blaze at Serum.

The towering Iveco Magirus turntable ladder (M55L) was acquired by the Amanora Park Township in Pune in 2013 for its in-house fire station. The vehicle costs around Rs nine crore. According to reports, the vehicle is only one of three such types around Maharashtra. Multiple reports have already claimed that the vehicle is the tallest of its kind in the country as well.

Sunil Tarte, Vice President, Amanora Township received a call from Aniruddha Deshpande, Managing Director, CT Corporation Limited at 2.50 pm on Thursday. He told Tarte to send an Iveco Magirus firefighting vehicle and fire-fighters to Serum Institute of India after the fire broke out in the building. The vehicle reached the spot and started to douse the fire with the help of officials of the fire department and PMRDA (Planning and Development Authority). The special vehicle was used for the first time since its arrival.

SPECIAL FEATURES

The vehicle can be used at major evacuation operations. The ladder attached to the vehicle can rotate 360 degrees, allowing lateral and rotary movement. The operation of the vehicle is fully computerised too. The vehicle has also a hydraulic lift which can reach up to 20th floor for the evacuation at any fire incident.