14 infants killed in fire at Pakistan hospital ward
Photo: REUTERS
A fire erupted Mother and Child Hospital at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) early Wednesday, killing 14 infants in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Television footage showed rescue workers using ladders to reach broken windows. Outside Pims - Islamabad’s largest public sector hospital established in 1985 and one of the two oldest health facilities in the federal capital comprising several hospitals and teaching institutes - a weeping woman crying and a man clearing glass from two broken windows, guarded by security officers.
Islamabad administration deployed six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances. They said, “The fire was immediately brought under control and the children were immediately shifted to the intensive care unit,” while adding that the 14 children “were completely burnt”.
Pims Spokesperson Aneeza Jalil told Dawn that 15 babies were present in the ward. She said, “At least one baby was saved by a doctor,” adding that six bodies were returned to parents and the rest would be handed over soon.
Speaking to Geo News, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed 14 deaths, saying the incubator or oxygen-dependent infants faced a 6:45 am air conditioner blast that ignited the fire, which oxygen tanks worsened. Law enforcement agencies secured the ground.
Such fires frequently strike large buildings in Pakistan due to lax enforcement of safety laws and building codes. Islamabad’s district magistrate formed a fact-finding committee to submit a report within 24 hours.
Headed by the additional deputy commissioner general, the committee includes the director general of Capital Emergency Services, City police station superintendent, assistant commissioner (Industrial Area), director general of Capital Development Authority’s Electrical and Mechanical wing, and representatives from Pims and the Islamabad Electric Supply Company.
They will determine the fire’s cause, assess if the hospital had adequate and functional fire safety measures, and evaluate the response times and effectiveness of the operations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an investigation, expressing deep grief. He said, “Such a situation involving children is unbearable. The circumstances that led to the incident should be thoroughly reviewed, those responsible should be identified, and the strictest possible action should be taken.”
President Zardari expressed condolences, calling the loss “heartbreaking and an irreparable loss. Responsibility for the incident should be determined and action should be taken in accordance with the law,” while urging effective safety arrangements for newborn babies.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called the tragedy unbearable, demanding an impartial investigation to inform the nation. He said, “Those responsible for negligence or failing to ensure the safety of patients must be held accountable,” and urged the federal government to secure all its hospitals.
Meanwhile, PTI demanded the health minister’s resignation, calling it a serious failure of the hospital’s safety and management. Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) said: “The association reiterates that healthcare facilities are designed to protect and restore human lives, yet administrative failure and regulatory oversight lapses have turned these institutions into danger zones.”
They demanded action against officials “whose failure to uphold safety codes resulted in this catastrophe,” insisting that “systemic failure serves as a decisive warning, preventing future lapses across both public and private medical facilities.”
Finally, the PMA called for the restructuring of health regulatory authorities responsible for safety protocols, building codes, and emergency infrastructure, and “full institutional backing for the grieving parents, ensuring they receive complete legal, financial, and emotional justice.”
Source: Dawn (adapted)
