15 newborns killed in fire at Islamabad’s PIMS hospital

At least 15 newborn babies were killed after a fire broke out in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the capital’s largest hospital, early Wednesday, officials and sources said. The fire erupted on the third floor of the MCH ward at around 7am, according to PIMS authorities. Sixteen newborns were in the ward when the blaze broke out, with only one baby reportedly rescued. The sources said the fire may have been caused by an air-conditioner compressor explosion, though the exact cause has yet to be established. Hospital staff and people present at the scene initially launched the rescue efforts on their own and began evacuating the newborns. They broke open the windows and removed metal grilles to move the babies out of the ward. Six fire engines took part in the rescue and firefighting operation, according to the district administration. Rescue teams evacuated 19 people, including 10 women, seven children and two men. The incident prompted senior officials, including the Islamabad inspector general of police, to reach the hospital and oversee the emergency response. PM orders inquiry Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to conduct an immediate investigation, his office said. “Those responsible should be identified, and the ​strictest action should ​be taken, ” ⁠Sharif’s office said in a statement. Fact-finding committee formed Meanwhile, the Islamabad Deputy Commissioner has constituted an eight-member fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the PIMS fire. The committee will be headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner General and will determine the factors that led to the blaze. It will also assess the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements and examine the response time of rescue and firefighting teams during the emergency. Representatives from the district administration, Capital Development Authority (CDA), police and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) are among the committee members. The deputy commissioner has directed the committee to submit its report within 24 hours. PIMS, centrally located in Islamabad, is ⁠one ​of the main public hospitals ​of the city.

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