At least 14 newborn babies have died after a fire broke out at the maternity ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Diaspora Digital Media gathered that the fire started in an air-conditioning unit on the third floor of the hospital’s mother and child unit and quickly spread after coming into contact with oxygen connections, according to a hospital spokesperson.
There were 15 newborns in the ward when the fire started. Hospital officials confirmed that only one baby was rescued, reportedly by a doctor.
The infants were either in incubators or receiving oxygen at the time of the incident, Pakistan’s Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told local media.
The fire has since been brought under control, while emergency responders remain at the hospital.
Grieving parents and relatives gathered outside the hospital as they waited for information about their children.
A father who lost his three-day-old baby told Reuters that the ward had poor fire-safety arrangements, alleging that there were no proper exits and that some doors were kept locked.
However, PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikander denied that the maternity ward door was locked. He said it was manned by security personnel to prevent babies from being stolen, citing previous incidents at government hospitals.
Investigation ordered
Islamabad’s District Magistrate has set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the incident and submit its report within 24 hours.
The committee will determine the exact cause of the fire, assess whether adequate and functional fire-safety measures were in place, and examine the response time and effectiveness of rescue and firefighting operations.
It will also investigate any other issue connected to the incident.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and ordered an immediate investigation, while President Asif Ali Zardari called for those responsible to be identified and prosecuted.
Zardari also stressed the need for effective fire-safety and emergency arrangements in hospitals, particularly in areas caring for newborn babies.
Two former federal ministers, Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari, have called for the resignation of Health Minister Mustafa Kamal over the tragedy.
Chaudhry said the minister should take responsibility for the deaths, while Mazari accused the hospital of negligence, mismanagement and corruption.
Meanwhile, police said the bodies of the babies were badly burnt and would undergo DNA testing before they could be released to their families.
The tragedy has also renewed concerns about fire-safety standards in Pakistan.
Earlier this year, 67 people were killed in a fire at the Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi.
In 2012, nearly 300 workers died in a factory fire in Karachi, with poor fire exits and safety measures blamed for the high death toll.
REUTER/BBC.
