Pakistan hospital fire that killed 14 infants exposes serious safety failures
An interim inquiry found the neonatal nursery had no fire alarm or sprinklers, while an earlier blaze had already exposed deficiencies at the hospital.
A deadly fire at Pakistan's Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on August 26 killed 14 infants, revealing significant fire safety and emergency preparedness shortcomings. The interim inquiry found no fire alarms or sprinklers in the nursery where the infants died, and no approved evacuation procedure specifically for the nursery.
The blaze broke out in the early morning and rapidly spread through the third-floor nursery, with only one baby rescued and 15 others succumbing to the fire. The first emergency responders arrived 15 minutes after the fire began, while emergency services weren't contacted until six minutes into the blaze. This incident has reignited calls for accountability, particularly after another fire at PIMS just weeks earlier exposed similar deficiencies.
The hospital's administration has been blamed for failing to implement safety protocols after the previous fire, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the suspension of eight officials and initiated legal proceedings against those found responsible. The government has also pledged compensation for the families of each infant killed and proposed independent fire and safety audits of healthcare facilities.
The United Nations' children agency UNICEF separately called for an urgent review and strengthening of fire prevention and safety standards across Pakistan's health facilities.
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