Pakistan will award nurse for saving the sole newborn survivor of a hospital nursery fire

Islamabad, Pakistan (AP) — A nurse named Razia Noreen, who saved the only surviving newborn after a hospital nursery fire that claimed the lives of 14 infants, will be honored with one of the country’s highest civil awards. CCTV footage shows Noreen rushing into the burning nursery and coming out with the infant in her arms just 51 seconds after the fire started.

Despite her determination to return and save more babies, the flames and thick smoke forced her to retreat. Noreen, speaking tearfully to Samaa TV, stated that her actions were driven by her love for children and her passion for caregiving, not by any expectation of reward. The fire erupted at the prestigious Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, engulfing the third-floor nursery within two minutes.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of 15 newborns and praised Noreen’s “exceptional courage and devotion to duty.” She will be awarded the Sitara-i-Khidmat, a prestigious recognition for outstanding public service, worth approximately $36,000. The inquiry following the tragedy concluded that Noreen entered the nursery and emerged eight seconds later, carrying the single surviving infant.