PIMS Nursery Tragedy: Eyewitnesses Raise Serious Questions Over Hospital Safety
ISLAMABAD: A devastating fire in the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad claimed the lives of 14 newborn babies on Wednesday, leaving families devastated and raising serious questions over the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements, emergency response and preparedness.
According to officials, 15 newborn babies were present in the nursery when the fire broke out in the Mother and Child Health ward. Only one infant was rescued alive and was later shifted to Polyclinic Hospital for further medical care.
The aunt of the surviving baby gave a distressing account of the incident, saying she rushed toward the nursery after learning that a fire had broken out. She alleged that a female doctor initially stopped her from entering the area. However, she said she managed to take the baby out and bring the child to safety.
The woman also alleged that the nursery did not have adequate fire-safety equipment. She questioned whether more newborns could have been saved if an immediate and effective rescue operation had been launched after the fire started.
Another eyewitness, Muniba, said she had been staying at PIMS with her sister-in-law for two days when the incident occurred. She alleged that hospital staff left the area without properly informing the families about the emergency.
According to Muniba, when she reached the nursery, the fire had already spread extensively. She claimed that hospital staff and security personnel were present outside but failed to provide effective assistance to those affected by the blaze.
Her account has added to concerns about the hospital’s emergency response and evacuation procedures. Questions are also being raised about whether staff were adequately trained to respond to a fire in a highly sensitive area containing newborn babies.
The tragedy has sparked widespread grief and calls for a transparent investigation. Families are demanding that the authorities determine whether negligence, inadequate safety arrangements or delays in the emergency response contributed to the deaths.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has said that anyone found responsible for negligence will face action. He has also presented himself for accountability and said the findings of the investigation will be made public.
The incident has renewed concerns about fire safety in major public hospitals and highlighted the need for functional emergency equipment, trained staff, accessible evacuation routes and regular safety inspections to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
