PIMS hospital fire kills 14 newborns in Islamabad

PIMS hospital fire infant deaths Razia Noreen hospital fire safety Pakistan healthcare

A tragic fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) nursery in Islamabad has resulted in the deaths of 14 newborns, with only one infant rescued. An inquiry revealed that the nursery lacked essential fire safety equipment, including alarms and sprinkler systems, and that supervisory staff were not on duty when the blaze began. The fire reportedly spread within two minutes, exacerbated by a high concentration of oxygen in the ward.

Nurse Razia Noreen has been hailed as a hero for rescuing the sole survivor. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced she would receive the Sitara-i-Khidmat national decoration and approximately $35,850 in compensation. The government has also pledged 5 million rupees to the families of the deceased infants.

In response to the incident, Prime Minister Sharif suspended eight officials and ordered criminal proceedings against those responsible. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has proposed a major overhaul of the public hospital administrative system, including transitioning from permanent staff to performance-based contracts. Additionally, the Capital Development Authority has fined 48 healthcare facilities in Islamabad, including PIMS, for various fire safety violations.

Entities

Capital Development Authority · Islamabad · Islamabad High Court · Mustafa Kamal · Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences · Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences · Razia Noreen · Shehbaz Sharif

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 6 SOURCES] Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the suspension of eight officials and directed criminal proceedings against those responsible for the fire. www.arabnews.pk · www.egyptindependent.com · dailymeezan.com · zap.aeiou.pt · mycharisma.com · +1 more
[DISPUTED] The fire killed 14 newborns and only one baby was rescued. www.arabnews.pk · arynews.tv · www.egyptindependent.com · zap.aeiou.pt · mycharisma.com · +1 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Islamabad High Court ordered the federal government to submit a detailed report regarding the PIMS fire incident. arynews.tv
[○ 1 SOURCE] Emergency services were not called until six minutes after the fire started. www.egyptindependent.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The government announced compensation of 5 million rupees for each bereaved family. www.egyptindependent.com · www.bolnews.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Supervisory staff were not on duty when the fire began. www.egyptindependent.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) lacked a fire alarm and sprinkler system. www.egyptindependent.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Health Minister Mustafa Kamal proposed ending permanent jobs in public hospitals in favor of performance-based contracts. www.arabnews.pk