Sole infant who survived Pims fire dies

In a tragic turn of events, the infant who had managed to survive a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has sadly passed away. She was among the 15 infants present in the nursery at Pims when a fire broke out on August 26, resulting in the deaths of 14 babies while one was rescued by a nurse named Razia Noreen.

The 15th infant's demise was confirmed by Pims Executive Director Dr Muhammad Salman to Dawn, who then directed the hospital to arrange for an ambulance and transportation of her body and family to their native village in Azad Jammu and Kashmir at no cost. Efforts to contact the infant's father proved futile. Hospital sources disclosed that the infant's condition had been critical, with her premature birth and continuous health complications severely limiting her chances of survival.

The government had announced a compensation of Rs5 million for the family, though the decision on its disbursement remains pending. Dr Salman also could not guarantee whether the family would receive this compensation. The fire incident at Pims ignited discussions on fire safety measures and sparked demands for accountability, leading to criminal proceedings against eight officials, including former interior secretary Shahid Khan.

A committee chaired by Khan submitted a 43-page report stating that systemic and institutional failure was evident, while individual responsibility varied based on the evidence. The report held Pims and its senior management primarily responsible for failing to address known risks, prior warnings, and assigned duties into an effective safety system.