A fire broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad early Wednesday morning, killing 14 infants and prompting the government to launch multiple inquiries into the incident.
The fire erupted at around 6:38 a.m. on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward, where 15 newborns were present. One infant was rescued, while the remaining 14 died.
Initial accounts differ over the precise cause of the fire. Rescue sources said an air-conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery, while a preliminary report by PIMS said a spark originated near an incubator and a nebulizer used to monitor oxygen levels. The report said the fire spread rapidly because of the oxygen supply connected to the incubators. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal also said preliminary CCTV footage showed a spark coming from an air conditioner that engulfed the room in flames within a minute.
PIMS claims two doctors and two nurses were on duty in the nursery and responded immediately after the fire began. According to the hospital, staff attempted to enter the affected room and rescued one baby from the nursery and four babies from an adjacent room, while also evacuating three mothers. The hospital said 73 other patients in the adjoining gynecology ward were evacuated within minutes.
However, there were conflicting accounts over the rescue operation and access to the ward. The Islamabad administration said six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances were involved and that rescue teams reached the hospital within six minutes of receiving the alert. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said 19 people, including seven children, 10 mothers and two men, were rescued.
Some parents and witnesses, however, said they had waited for emergency assistance and alleged that some doors were locked. They further claimed there was no hospital staff present at the NICU at the time of the fire. The hospital later claimed all emergency exits were open and operational. The fire brigade’s report, however, identified several safety hazards, including permanently closed emergency exits and obstructions along evacuation routes, while also alleging that PIMS security staff initially obstructed firefighters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation and suspended Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri. A high-level inquiry committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan has been formed to determine the cause of the fire, review the rescue operation and assess fire-safety arrangements at PIMS. The committee was directed to submit an interim report within 48 hours and a comprehensive report within five days.
A separate seven-member fact-finding committee constituted by the Islamabad district administration was also tasked with determining the cause of the fire, assessing fire-safety measures and evaluating the response time and effectiveness of firefighting and rescue operations. It was directed to submit its report within 24 hours.
The health minister said he was willing to face accountability if negligence was established. He said the government would determine responsibility on the basis of the inquiry’s findings.
Kamal also said the PIMS building dates back to the 1980s and was not technically suitable for installation of sprinklers. He said the hospital now receives around 9,500 visitors daily, with patients and attendants bringing the total number of people at the facility to about 50,000, far beyond its operational capacity.
Amidst the outrage, condemnations and mourning domestically, the incident has prompted expressions of condolence from several countries. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkiye, China, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Nigeria, Syria and Afghanistan have all conveyed sympathy to Pakistan and the families of the victims.