A tragic fire occurred at the government-owned Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, killing 15 babies. It has been ascertained that a fire outbreak was caused by an explosion of an air conditioner compressor on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward.
Insides of the PIMS Hospital ward fire accident
Fifteen babies were found inside the gynecology ward nursery when the fire broke out. Emergency services could manage to save just one baby before the fire worsened.
The cause: Local authorities identified the root cause of the accident to be a malfunctioning of the air conditioning compressor that exploded in the confined nursery area.
The response: Six fire engines and four ambulances were immediately dispatched to the federal capital hospital facility where firefighters managed to control the fire outbreak and started immediate cooling.
Official response and government inquiry
District administration officials said that 14 infants died due to the fatal fire outbreak on the third floor. The fire accident raised questions regarding hospital safety procedures, resulting in a quick administrative response.
Investigation committee: A formal investigation committee led by the additional deputy commissioner has been formed.
Accountability: The responsibility of the committee is to find out the root cause of the accident, identify any possible negligence and recommend preventive measures to ensure public healthcare infrastructure safety.
The tragedy has exposed severe vulnerabilities in state-run medical facilities, prompting intense scrutiny over maintenance checks for critical life-support and climate-control units in pediatric wards.
