ISLAMABAD: Fourteen newborn babies were killed when a fire broke out in the neonatal unit of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad early Wednesday morning, raising serious questions about fire safety and emergency response arrangements at one of the country’s major public hospitals.
According to officials, the fire erupted at around 6:45 a.m. on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health unit, where 15 newborn babies were present at the time.
PIMS spokesperson Dr Aniza Jaleel told media one baby was rescued, while 14 others died in the incident.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Officials and rescue sources told an air-conditioning unit or compressor may have malfunctioned and caught fire, but a formal investigation has been ordered to establish the cause.
Six fire vehicles and four ambulances took part in the rescue operation, according to officials. Rescue teams brought the fire under control and transferred affected patients to the intensive care unit.
The deaths have raised serious concerns among parents, relatives and eyewitnesses about the hospital’s fire safety arrangements and the speed of the emergency response.
Some parents told reporters that they encountered closed doors as the fire spread and faced difficulties reaching the affected area.
However, PIMS Executive Director Dr Rana Imran Sikandar rejected claims that the nursery door was locked, saying hospital staff were present when the fire broke out.
An official investigation is expected to determine how the fire started, how quickly the rescue operation was launched, and whether adequate fire-safety and emergency measures were in place.
The incident has also renewed wider concerns about the preparedness of government hospitals to deal with emergencies, particularly in highly sensitive units where premature and newborn babies require specialized care.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation into the deaths and directed authorities to identify those responsible. He said strict action should be taken if negligence is established.
The prime minister also ordered the suspension of Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghori.
A high-level investigation committee headed by former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan has been constituted to investigate the incident.
The Islamabad administration has separately formed a fact-finding committee to examine the cause of the fire, fire-safety arrangements at the hospital and the emergency response. The committee has been directed to submit its findings within 24 hours.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and directed authorities to determine responsibility and take action according to law.
He also stressed the need for effective fire-safety and emergency arrangements in hospitals, particularly in units caring for newborn babies.
UNICEF expressed “deep sadness” over the deaths and called for an urgent review of fire-prevention and safety standards in healthcare facilities.
The British High Commission in Islamabad also expressed condolences to the families of the affected.
