ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (Alliance News): The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) administration has prepared an initial report into the deadly fire at its gynaecology ward in Islamabad that claimed the lives of 14 newborns.
According to the preliminary findings, the fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where a nebuliser indicating the oxygen level near an incubator reportedly exploded.
The report said the oxygen subsequently caught fire, generating smoke that travelled through the pipes and entered the breathing systems of the infants.
The newborns died after the oxygen supply was disrupted and due to burns sustained during the fire, according to the initial report.
It said the fire initially appeared to be small but spread rapidly inside the nursery.
The report also mentioned video footage that showed a flame emerging from an air-conditioning unit.
According to Pims officials, 15 newborns were present in the nursery when the incident occurred. Only one infant was rescued, while the remaining 14 newborns died.
The district administration said rescue teams were dispatched after receiving information about the incident. Six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances took part in the rescue operation.
However, eyewitnesses speaking to Geo News gave a different account of the response time, claiming that the fire brigade and rescue teams reached the hospital more than half an hour after the fire broke out.
They said hospital staff initially scrambled to respond to the emergency and instructed people to evacuate the affected area.
The incident has raised serious questions about fire safety arrangements, emergency response mechanisms and the management of oxygen and medical equipment in the hospital’s neonatal facility.
The preliminary report is expected to form part of a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine whether any negligence, equipment failure or safety violations contributed to the tragedy.
Following the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the immediate suspension of Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori from his post.
The prime minister also constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the fire and determine the circumstances that led to the deaths of the newborns.
Former interior secretary Shahid Khan was appointed chairman of the inquiry committee, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The committee is expected to examine the cause of the fire, the condition and operation of medical equipment, oxygen supply systems, fire safety arrangements, the response of hospital staff and emergency services, and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The final findings of the inquiry will determine whether the incident resulted from an equipment malfunction, a fire safety failure, negligence or a combination of factors.
The tragedy has also intensified calls for stronger safety protocols in neonatal and intensive-care facilities, where newborns and critically ill patients are particularly vulnerable during emergencies.
Authorities have yet to release the complete inquiry report or announce further measures based on the initial findings.
