Pims fire exposes serious gaps in hospital fire safety
News Desk
Islamabad: The deaths of at least 15 newborns in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) nursery have raised serious questions over fire safety, emergency preparedness and the presence of staff in one of the hospital’s most sensitive wards.
The fire erupted at around 6:45am on Wednesday in the nursery on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) ward, where 16 newborns were being cared for. Pims officials said only one infant was rescued.
Rescue sources said an air-conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery, while Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry later attributed the fire to a short circuit. He said most of the children died from asphyxiation.
The conflicting accounts over the cause of the fire are expected to be examined by an inquiry committee formed under the additional deputy commissioner.
The committee will investigate how the fire started, how it spread and whether safety protocols were followed.
Fire safety under scrutiny
The tragedy has also exposed alleged shortcomings in the hospital’s firefighting and evacuation arrangements.
Rescue sources described the fire safety arrangements as inadequate, claiming there was no water available at the designated fire point and that couplings were missing from the fire hose.
They further alleged that emergency evacuation routes had been locked, potentially hampering efforts to evacuate patients during the blaze.
The MCH ward was sealed following the incident.
Parents also alleged that hospital staff were not present in the incubation centre when the fire broke out, while rescue sources similarly claimed that no doctors, ward boys or other staff were present there at the time.
However, Pims Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar disputed the claims, saying two doctors, four nurses and other staff members were present in the ICU when the fire occurred. He said one doctor managed to rescue a newborn.
Sikandar maintained that the hospital had a satisfactory fire safety system and that rescue teams faced no obstruction while carrying out their operation.
Conflicting accounts over response
The timing of the emergency response has also come under scrutiny.
The district administration said rescue teams reached the hospital immediately after receiving information and that six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances participated in the operation.
Eyewitnesses, however, told Geo News that firefighters and rescue personnel arrived more than half an hour after the incident. They said hospital staff initially scrambled to evacuate people as the fire spread.
One eyewitness said patients and attendants had to rescue themselves, while another alleged that hospital staff did not use firefighting equipment to control the blaze.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the fire spread rapidly and that the hospital’s electricity supply went out immediately following the explosion.
He said the director general of health and hospital secretary were present at the facility, while the Pims executive director remained at the scene.
Oxygen, gas lines cited as factors
Chaudhry said the presence of gas lines and plastic equipment contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. He also said the oxygen supply may have intensified the blaze.
Pims officials said 24 oxygen cylinders were present at the hospital, while the executive director said there had been no obstruction to the rescue operation.
The conflicting statements from officials, rescue personnel and eyewitnesses have added to questions surrounding the hospital’s emergency preparedness.
PM orders action
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation into the tragedy and called for strict action against those found responsible.
Expressing grief over the deaths, the prime minister said the loss of children was an irreparable tragedy and said he shared the grief of the bereaved parents.
He later chaired a high-level meeting on the incident and expressed strong displeasure with the relevant officials.
During the meeting, the prime minister ordered the immediate suspension and removal of Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori from his post.
Calls for accountability
The tragedy prompted an outpouring of condolences from political leaders.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed solidarity with the bereaved families, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the incident as extremely heartbreaking.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also expressed grief over the deaths.
Maryam Nawaz directed authorities to ensure the availability and functionality of firefighting equipment in hospitals.
The British High Commission also expressed sorrow over the incident and extended its sympathies to the parents of the deceased children.
As the inquiry gets underway, the central questions now extend beyond the immediate cause of the fire: whether the nursery had adequate fire protection, whether emergency exits and firefighting equipment were functional, whether sufficient staff were present and whether the newborns could have been evacuated in time. input from Geo News.
