Fire engulfs nursery with 15 newborn babies inside
One baby rescued as blaze spreads within minutes
PM forms fiv
A man carries the body of a newborn who died in the PIMS Hospital fire during the funeral in Rawalpindi. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The cries and tears replaced the joy that usually surrounds the arrival of newborns at Islamabad’s largest public hospital, after a devastating fire tore through the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Wednesday morning, killing 14 babies and leaving only one newborn girl among those inside rescued alive.
The deceased infants were laid to rest on Thursday amid tears, prayers and heart-rending scenes, as relatives struggled to come to terms with the loss of children who had only just entered the world and had brought hope and happiness to their families.
The tragedy prompted immediate action from the federal government, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif forming a five-member inquiry committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire and determine whether negligence or failure of duty contributed to the deaths.
The committee includes Secretary Establishment Dr Barrister Nabeel Awan. Separately, the government suspended Health Secretary Aslam Ghori and removed him from his post following the incident, while Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood, Secretary Housing, was given additional charge as the health secretary.
According to preliminary findings, the fire broke out at about 6:38am inside the nursery on the third floor of the maternity and child health ward. A spark was reported near an air conditioner, followed by a loud explosion at 6:39am, after which part of the ceiling collapsed.
The preliminary report said the fire spread through the nursery within about a minute, with oxygen points located alongside incubators intensifying the flames within seconds. Two doctors and two nurses were on duty when the fire erupted and immediately alerted hospital security staff.
Hospital employees and security personnel made two attempts to enter the nursery and rescue the babies, but rescue sources and eyewitnesses said the ward’s emergency exit was blocked and had been locked, complicating efforts to reach the infants.
Entry through another door was also difficult, forcing rescue teams to create openings through walls and metal grilles to gain access. Some windows had to be broken, while firefighters and other emergency personnel battled to reach the nursery amid rapidly spreading flames.
Only one of the babies inside the nursery was ultimately rescued alive. PIMS said in its preliminary report that staff safely evacuated a newborn baby girl, while four other babies and three mothers were rescued from an adjoining room.
Despite the intensity of the fire, hospital staff also moved 73 patients admitted to the adjoining gynaecology ward to a safe location within a few minutes, preventing the disaster from causing an even greater loss of life.
The hospital administration said 35 fire extinguishers installed in the building were used during efforts to control the blaze, and maintained that all emergency exits were open and operational. The conflicting accounts about access to the nursery are among the issues now being examined by investigators.
PIMS administration expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, saying every human life was precious and every newborn represented hope and the future. It praised doctors, nurses, hospital employees and emergency responders for their efforts to prevent further loss of life and property.
There was also some discrepancy in the initial accounts about the number of babies present. The administration said 16 babies were in the nursery when the fire broke out, while other information indicated that 15 babies were inside, of whom only one survived.
Rescue and fire brigade teams reached the hospital after receiving information about the blaze. Six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances took part in the operation, while most of the babies who died suffered severe burns.
The hospital administration later said the fire was caused by a short circuit, although officials stressed that the precise cause would only be established after the investigation. An inquiry committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner was also formed separately to determine the causes of the incident.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, speaking to the media outside the hospital, said that available footage showed a spark near an air conditioner at 6:38am. He said people could be seen running after the fire started and pledged that no aspect of the tragedy would be concealed.
“We are investigating the entire incident. The inquiry report will come within two or three days. If anyone failed to fulfil their responsibility, we will not spare them,” Kamal said.
The Prime Minister’s Office said Shehbaz Sharif expressed severe displeasure with the relevant officials during a high-level meeting convened over the tragedy. The prime minister also expressed heartfelt condolences to the parents of the newborns and said he shared their grief, praying for patience and fortitude for the bereaved families.
The government has announced compensation of Rs5 million for the family of each newborn who died in the fire. In a statement, it said the financial assistance could never substitute for the precious lives lost but was intended to ease some of the difficulties faced by the grieving families.
The government also assured the affected families of all possible cooperation and assistance, as the investigation into the tragedy continued at multiple levels and officials began examining the circumstances surrounding the fire, the emergency response and the hospital’s safety arrangements.
The prime minister’s inquiry committee has already begun its work. Committee chairman Shahid Khan and Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon inspected the affected ward, while authorities took possession of CCTV footage and began collecting evidence from the scene.
Four officials, including PIMS Joint Executive Director, submitted written statements to the committee, which also sought responses from relevant officials on the causes of the fire and the measures that should follow. PIMS health management staff were questioned during the inquiry.
Written statements were also sought from staff working in the Children’s Hospital nursery. The committee took possession of the nursery’s CCTV records and reviewed the footage, comparing the administration’s account of the fire’s cause with what was captured by the cameras.
Sources said the duty roster for August 26 was also submitted to the committee. Representatives questioned nursery staff, while the fire brigade and emergency department submitted their respective reports for examination.
The committee’s terms of reference require it to establish the sequence and timeline of the incident, assess the emergency response and examine the actions of hospital staff, the fire brigade, Rescue 1122 and other institutions involved after the fire broke out.
It will also review standard operating procedures for transferring children to safe locations and conduct a detailed assessment of fire safety infrastructure, existing safety regulations and their implementation at the hospital.
The committee has been tasked with determining whether any officer or official was negligent or responsible for the tragedy and recommending measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. It is required to submit an initial report to the prime minister within 48 hours, followed by a final report identifying those responsible.
The tragedy also triggered a political response, with the Pakistan Peoples Party demanding the resignation of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed grief over the deaths and described the loss of 14 newborn babies as one of the worst tragedies in human history.
Kamal, meanwhile, said he had presented himself before the prime minister for accountability over the deaths and would accept whatever decision the premier made. “The prime minister is my boss, and I will accept whatever decision he makes,” he said.
The minister said he had discussed several issues with the prime minister, including fire safety and training, while acknowledging that a lack of resources was also a problem. His remarks outside the hospital were interrupted by protesters, who forced him to leave the scene.
As investigators sift through CCTV footage, staff statements, duty rosters and emergency reports, the central questions surrounding the tragedy remain the speed with which the fire spread, the condition and accessibility of emergency exits, the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements and the response to the trapped newborns, according to sources.
