Islamabad: Fourteen newborn babies died of suffocation and burns after a fire broke out at the Mother and Child Health (MCH) Centre of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad in the early hours of Wednesday.
The emergency alert was received at 6:54 am local time, after which Capital Emergency Service (CES) and the CDA Fire Department teams claim reached the hospital within seven minutes, at around 7:01am.
According to officials, six fire tenders, including FS-01 and FS-05, were deployed along with rescue personnel, CES ambulances and ICT administration officials. Four ambulances participated in the rescue operation, while the wider firefighting response involved several rescue teams and emergency personnel.
Officials said the blaze was brought under control after the teams reached the MCH ward. Cooling operations and an assessment of the affected area were subsequently completed. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established and will be determined through an investigation.
The fire reportedly affected the newborn care area, where 15 infants were present. One baby was rescued alive, while 14 newborns died, leaving their families devastated.
The tragedy has triggered grief and anger among bereaved families, hospital staff and members of the public. Relatives have demanded a transparent investigation, accountability for any negligence and stronger fire-safety arrangements at hospitals. Families have also questioned whether adequate evacuation facilities and emergency procedures were available for critically ill newborns. They claim the CDA AND ICT response was inadequate and question the official statement regarding how long it took emergency services to arrive on site.
One bereaved mother angrily claimed that she was waiting for "hours" before emergency services and police arrived on the scene. "For two hours I kept crying and wailing," she said. "Police arrived after four hours and said they are here to investigate."
The Young Doctors Association and child-rights representatives have called for an independent and transparent inquiry, along with comprehensive safety audits of hospitals, including fire alarms, electrical systems, oxygen arrangements, emergency exits and evacuation procedures.
An investigative committee headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner General (ADCG), ICT, has been formed to determine the cause of the incident, review the rescue operation and assess the effectiveness of fire-safety measures at PIMS.
Authorities have said the findings will help determine responsibility and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
