A devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad has claimed the lives of 14 infants. The blaze, which originated in an air-conditioning unit on the third floor of the hospital's mother and child unit, left only one of the 15 babies present in the ward alive.
Witnesses and grieving parents have raised serious concerns regarding the hospital's emergency response and safety measures. Several individuals reported that the maternity ward doors were locked, hindering rescue efforts. One mother, identified as Jaweria, stated that she waited hours for assistance, while other witnesses claimed that staff were absent during the initial stages of the fire and that rescue teams were delayed in their arrival.
Rana Imran Sikander, the hospital's executive director, denied that the ward was locked, explaining that the doors were manned to prevent child abductions. However, visitors and witnesses have criticized the facility's lack of fire safety infrastructure, including a perceived absence of proper exits and fire extinguishers.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his condolences and ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. As part of the government's initial response, Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri has been suspended from his position. While witnesses have alleged significant delays in the arrival of emergency services, Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf maintained that rescue teams responded immediately after being notified.
The incident has sparked renewed scrutiny of fire safety standards in Pakistan, where lax enforcement of building codes has been linked to high casualties in previous disasters, including a fatal shopping mall fire in Karachi earlier this year.
Source: BBC News
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