Fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences claims lives of newborns
A fire broke out at the neonatal unit of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. Reports differ on the number of dead and the circumstances of the response. Pakistani authorities have announced an investigation.
Sources
· 3Key points
- The reported number of newborns killed is 14 or at least 15, depending on the source.
- At the time of the fire, 15 or 16 infants were in the unit and only one survived.
- The cause of the fire is reported to be a short circuit in an air conditioner or an explosion of the air conditioner compressor.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an investigation and suspended a senior Health Ministry official.
What happened
The fire began on the morning of August 26 on the third floor of the maternity ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. Another source indicates the fire started after an air conditioner compressor exploded. Reportedly, at the time of the fire 15 or 16 infants were in the unit, and only one could be saved.
Why it matters
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an investigation and suspended a senior Health Ministry official. Hospital director Rana Imran Sikander explained that the door to the unit was closed but not locked to prevent babies from being stolen.
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