Fourteen newborns have died in a devastating fire at the maternity ward of a government hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. The fire broke out early Wednesday on the third floor of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Fifteen newborns were inside the affected room at the time, but only one was rescued alive.
According to preliminary information from hospital authorities, the fire originated from an air-conditioning unit. Flames and thick smoke spread rapidly through the ward, prompting an urgent rescue operation. Despite the efforts, 14 of the infants could not be saved.
The tragedy has raised serious concerns over the hospital’s security and fire-safety arrangements. Relatives of the victims alleged that rescue teams took a considerable amount of time to reach the scene. They also claimed that several doors in the ward were closed, making it difficult to evacuate the newborns quickly.
Hibsa Waleed, a woman who was near the hospital when the fire broke out, said she initially heard screams before seeing smoke. She rushed to the hospital with family members and tried to help evacuate the newborns. Her sister-in-law had given birth at the facility only a few days earlier.
Hibsa said the situation was so chaotic that no one thought about personal belongings. She and others managed to carry a baby downstairs. She described the incident as unfolding so quickly that they barely had time to understand how they had managed to escape the building.
Relatives of the deceased newborns also alleged that there were not enough staff members present in the ward when the fire started. One eyewitness told AFP that members of the public had to break down doors to enter the ward. Rescue workers reportedly also broke windows to gain access and create a route into the affected area.
Another eyewitness, Abdul Ghafoor, said he attempted to enter the building to help rescue patients but was unable to reach the maternity ward. He said thick black smoke had filled the building and that several patients remained trapped inside.
Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf, however, disputed the allegations made by relatives. He said rescue teams arrived shortly after receiving the emergency call and took the necessary measures.
PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar told the BBC that the maternity ward doors had not been locked. He said security personnel had been deployed in the area because of previous incidents of child theft at government hospitals.
Jaweria, the mother of one of the deceased newborns, said she waited for a long time for assistance after the fire broke out. She alleged that police arrived at the scene several hours later and informed relatives that an investigation would be conducted. She also criticized the hospital’s arrangements for protecting the newborns.
The father of another victim said he had been visiting the ward for eight consecutive days. He alleged that the building lacked adequate fire-safety equipment and proper emergency exits. He further claimed that other doors were kept closed, reportedly for the security of people visiting the infants.
PIMS is one of Pakistan’s major government hospitals, and its maternal and child health unit has 156 beds. The incident has prompted widespread scrutiny over whether the hospital’s fire-safety measures and emergency evacuation procedures were adequate for a facility of its size.
Pakistan has long faced criticism over inadequate fire-safety systems, building-code violations and weak enforcement of safety regulations. In January this year, a major fire at a shopping mall in Karachi killed dozens of people. That incident also prompted allegations that emergency exits had been blocked.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the newborns at PIMS. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, a prompt investigation into the incident has been ordered.
A senior health official and Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri were also dismissed. The Prime Minister’s Office described the deaths of the infants as a deeply tragic incident and an irreparable loss.
Source: BBC, AFP and relevant sources.