ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) administration has released further details of the fire incident at the hospital’s Mother and Child Health Care Centre nursery, which claimed the lives of 14 newborns early Wednesday.
At the time of the fire, 15 newborns were in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the hospital, located in Islamabad, of whom only one was rescued, according to PIMS officials.
The fire erupted on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Care Center. Rescue teams were dispatched immediately after receiving information about the incident, the district administration said.
According to the statement, the fire broke out at the NICU, also known as the nursery, at approximately 6:38am.
It further stated that a spark inside the nursery triggered the fire, which intensified within seconds after reaching oxygen points next to each incubator.
Two doctors and two nurses present in the nursery immediately responded and called the security staff, the statement said.
“The staff tried to enter the nursery twice to evacuate the children. However, a loud explosion occurred at approximately 6:39am the roof of the nursery collapsed,” it added.
In the meantime, the duty staff safely evacuated one child from the nursery, while four children and three mothers were also rescued from an adjoining room.
The statement added that staff rescued a total of 73 other patients from the gynecology ward within minutes of the incident.
About safety equipment, the administration added that all fire safety equipment at PIMS was used to control the fire. “35 fire extinguishers installed in the PIMS nursery were also deployed.”
Furthermore, it added that all emergency exits of the ward were fully open and functional.
The PIMS administration said a transparent investigation into the incident is underway at various forums. “The results of the investigation into the incident are awaited.”
Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased newborns, the administration also praised the staff and emergency responders for their immediate response to the fire.
