PIMS Fire Inquiry Clears Staff of Abandoning Infants
News Desk
Islamabad: The full inquiry report into the PIMS nursery fire that claimed the lives of 14 newborns has been released, with the investigation concluding that a localized electrical fault was the most probable cause of the blaze and finding no evidence to support allegations that frontline staff abandoned the infants.
The fire broke out at the ECH Nursery of the Pakistan Institute of M
News Desk
Islamabad: The full inquiry report into the August 26 fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) nursery has been released, identifying a localized electrical fault as the most probable cause of the blaze and finding no evidence that frontline staff abandoned the newborns.
The fire at the ECH Nursery claimed the lives of 14 newborns, while one infant survived. The inquiry committee was formed on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to determine the cause of the fire, assess the circumstances surrounding the deaths and identify factors that contributed to the severity of the incident.
The committee conducted a 52-point investigation, examining forensic evidence, CCTV footage, call records, engineering and maintenance documents, medical records, duty rosters, witness statements and findings from previous inquiries.
According to the report, CCTV footage showed that the fire had intensified by approximately 6:38:15 a.m., creating an extraordinary emergency inside the nursery. The committee said the available evidence contradicted allegations that frontline staff had abandoned the infants, finding instead that several staff members responded promptly to the crisis.
The investigation identified the power cable of AC Unit 2, located near AC Unit 1, as the most likely point where the fire originated. Technical evidence examined by the National Forensic Agency supported this conclusion.
The committee said the electrical fault was likely the initial trigger, while combustible materials and oxygen inside the nursery contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
Rescue efforts were also hampered by overcrowding and limited evacuation capacity. Although the nursery had a capacity of 10 beds, it was housing 15 critically ill newborns when the fire broke out.
The report further identified the absence of a formal emergency evacuation system specifically designed for newborns as a major challenge. Delays in the institutional emergency response also contributed to the difficulties faced during the rescue operation.
The inquiry said Charge Nurse Nasreen Akhtar and Staff Nurse Razia Noreen took immediate steps to rescue the infants, assisted by security guard Maria Saleem. Nurse Razia managed to save one newborn and also attempted to re-enter the nursery. Dr Muhammad Abdul Rehman was present at the scene when the fire broke out.
The committee also noted that merely approving or initiating a safety measure does not establish that it was actually implemented. According to the report, a safety measure should only be considered effective once the relevant hazard has been eliminated and the measure independently verified.
The inquiry ultimately attributed the scale of the tragedy to a combination of the electrical fault, combustible materials, oxygen, overcrowding, inadequate evacuation arrangements and weaknesses in the institutional emergency response.
edical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on August 26. The inquiry committee was constituted on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to investigate the causes of the incident, the deaths of the newborns and the factors that worsened the tragedy.
According to the report, 14 newborns died in the fire while one infant survived.
The committee based its findings and recommendations on a 52-point investigation that included forensic evidence, CCTV footage, call records, engineering and maintenance documents, medical and incident records, duty rosters, witness statements and findings from earlier inquiries.
CCTV footage showed that the nursery was engulfed in an extraordinary emergency, with the fire clearly intensifying at around 6:38:15 am. The committee found that frontline staff responded to the emergency and that available evidence contradicted claims that they had abandoned the newborns.
The report identified the power cable of AC Unit 2, located near AC Unit 1, as the most probable point of origin. The conclusion was supported by technical evidence examined by the National Forensic Agency.
The committee said a localized electrical fault likely triggered the fire, while flammable materials and the presence of oxygen contributed to its rapid spread.
The rescue operation was further complicated by overcrowding in the nursery and limited evacuation capacity. The 10-bed facility was housing 15 critically ill newborns at the time of the incident.
The report also highlighted the absence of a formal emergency evacuation system specifically designed for newborns, while delays in the institution’s emergency response further aggravated the situation.
According to the inquiry, Charge Nurse Nasreen Akhtar and Staff Nurse Razia Noreen immediately attempted to rescue the infants, with security guard Maria Saleem also assisting in the effort. Nurse Razia managed to save one newborn and attempted to re-enter the nursery, while Dr Muhammad Abdul Rehman was present at the scene when the fire erupted.
The committee further emphasized that approving or initiating a safety measure does not necessarily mean it has been implemented. It said a safety measure should only be considered implemented once the relevant hazard has been eliminated and the measure independently verified.
The inquiry concluded that the combination of an electrical fault, highly combustible conditions, oxygen, overcrowding, inadequate evacuation arrangements and weaknesses in the emergency response contributed to the scale of the tragedy.
