Only one newborn emerged alive from the blaze that ripped through PIMS’s newborn unit, while fourteen infants perished.
The fire ignited in the nursery of the Mother and Child Health Ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, where fifteen neonates were under care. Within minutes, flames engulfed the cramped area, prompting an abrupt evacuation. According to hospital officials, a relative—identified as the infant’s aunt—claims she pulled her niece from the smoke‑filled room as staff fled the scene. Emergency responders rescued the infant and rushed her to the intensive‑care unit, where physicians are closely monitoring her fragile condition.
The incident has sparked a rapid probe by Islamabad’s health authorities and the Capital Development Authority to determine the origin of the fire and why hospital personnel appeared to abandon the ward. Preliminary statements suggest a possible electrical short circuit, but investigators have not ruled out lapses in fire‑safety protocols, such as the lack of functional alarms or fire‑extinguishers in the neonatal area.
PIMS, a flagship teaching hospital that serves millions across the capital and surrounding provinces, now faces intense scrutiny over its safety standards. The tragedy underscores longstanding concerns about the adequacy of emergency preparedness in Pakistan’s neonatal facilities, where overcrowding and aging infrastructure often strain resources. Families, health‑care workers, and policymakers are calling for an immediate audit of all maternity and child‑health units nationwide to prevent a recurrence of such a devastating loss.