Pakistan Neonatal Unit Lacked Fire Safety Systems, Report Finds

An investigative report into a fatal fire at a Pakistan neonatal unit has revealed a significant absence of essential fire safety measures, including functioning smoke detectors, alarms, and sprinklers. The blaze, which occurred on August 26, resulted in the deaths of 14 infants at the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital in Islamabad.

The report indicates that the fire likely originated from a spark caused by an overheating electrical supply cable in the ward's air conditioning unit. While the unit had undergone maintenance, a comprehensive safety check had not been performed, and an overdue upgrade to the air conditioning system had not been completed. The presence of oxygen support for several infants may have intensified the fire, but the report found no evidence that it facilitated its spread.

Witnesses described chaos and confusion during the incident. "The entire ward was filled with smoke, we could not see anything," said Abdul Ghafoor, who was in a nearby ward and heard shouts warning of the fire. Another witness, Hivsa Walid, whose newborn niece was in the adjacent ward, described hearing a loud commotion before seeing smoke emerge from the babies' unit.

CCTV footage showed the fire spreading rapidly, with the first indication of trouble at 06:38 when a nurse was seen running from the ward for help. Within a minute, dense smoke obscured the camera. Emergency services were not notified until 06:54, nearly 20 minutes after the fire began, and the first rescue workers arrived at 07:01.

Rescuers faced obstacles gaining access to the unit, with firefighters reporting that several doors near the ward were locked, hindering their efforts. The report noted that while access restrictions for security purposes are legitimate, they cannot obstruct emergency routes. The hospital's executive director had previously stated the ward's door was guarded due to concerns about baby abductions from government hospitals.

Further compounding the findings, the report highlighted that the hospital had received prior warnings about fire risks. A month before the neonatal unit fire, a separate blaze had occurred at its nursing hostel, raising concerns about smoke detection, alarms, and overall fire preparedness. The report concluded that the hospital and its senior management bear the primary institutional responsibility for failing to implement an effective safety system despite known risks and previous warnings.

In response to the findings, Pakistan's Prime Minister has ordered the implementation of short-term measures within three months and mandated fire safety audits for public and private buildings. Additionally, eight officials have been suspended, and criminal proceedings have been initiated against them.