NA panel questions PIMS blaze inquiry
Raises concerns over CCTV, fire source and safety
A parliamentary committee in Pakistan has raised concerns about the investigation into the devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), particularly regarding the lack of CCTV footage from inside the nursery, the origin of the fire, and the hospital's fire safety measures. The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination questioned the appointment of a pathologist as the executive director of the inquiry.
The federal health minister clarified that the ministry had not independently conducted an investigation since the prime minister appointed an inquiry committee. The committee's chairman criticized the absence of CCTV footage, which he deemed crucial for establishing the nursery's state at the time of the fire and the actions taken by staff afterward.
The inquiry's lack of CCTV footage, the uncertain presence of staff inside the nursery during the incident, and the unidentified individuals inside at the time sparked committee dissatisfaction. Committee members were also troubled by the former PIMS executive director's claim that the fire was caused by a compressor explosion, questioning this attribution without establishing the fire's original source.
The committee expressed worry over reports of the HVAC system's malfunction and inquired about regular fire drills and staff training at sensitive hospital locations, including the nursery. They questioned the adequacy of fire alarms, detection systems, firefighting equipment, and emergency response plans at the PIMS nursery and other sensitive areas.
The committee sought clarification on staff shortages and recruitment, as well as the allocation of adequate personnel to critical departments. They also questioned the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority's (IHRA) role, emphasizing that ensuring fire safety compliance and implementation of precautionary measures falls under their responsibility, yet their effectiveness in this case appeared questionable.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
