PIMS Fire Inquiry: Interim Report on 14 Newborn Deaths Due Before PM Today
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: A high-level inquiry committee investigating the devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) is expected to present its interim report to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, 48 hours after the blaze killed 14 newborn babies at the federal capital’s major public hospital.
The investigation was ordered by the prime minister following the August 26 fire at the Mother and Child Hospital at PIMS. Investigators are examining both the origin of the blaze and the response to the emergency, as questions intensify over fire-safety arrangements and possible administrative negligence.
Hospital Officials Questioned
According to the latest details, the committee has recorded statements from the relevant PIMS executive director, joint executive directors and medical officers as part of its investigation.
Investigators have also examined CCTV footage to establish how the fire started and assess the response after the flames broke out.
The committee has sought to reconstruct the sequence of events from the outbreak of the fire until the arrival of rescue teams, while assessing the speed and effectiveness of the firefighting operation.
Fire Brigade and Rescue Personnel Give Statements
Committee members visited the fire brigade headquarters on Thursday, where statements were recorded from officials of the Capital Emergency Services and personnel who participated directly in the rescue operation.
Investigators also sought information about any obstacles or difficulties faced by rescue workers while responding to the emergency.
The investigation is particularly significant because different accounts have emerged over the possible cause of the blaze.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal initially said an air-conditioning-related electrical fault triggered the fire. However, members of the National Assembly’s health committee said after visiting PIMS that CCTV footage did not establish that the air conditioner was the source. They said possible problems involving the oxygen pipeline and electrical wiring were also being examined.
The cause should therefore be regarded as undetermined pending the formal inquiry findings.
Earlier Fire-Safety Warning Under Scrutiny
The inquiry has also brought previous warnings about PIMS fire-safety arrangements under scrutiny.
According to Express News, investigators obtained a letter sent by the Capital Development Authority to PIMS after an earlier safety assessment. The report had raised concerns about outdated firefighting equipment, an inadequate alarm system and other safety shortcomings, while warning hospital authorities about the possibility of a serious incident.
The inquiry committee has secured the correspondence as part of its investigation.
These findings could become important in determining whether hospital authorities had been warned about safety deficiencies before the August 26 tragedy and whether adequate corrective measures were subsequently taken.
Who Is Leading the PIMS Inquiry?
The prime minister’s high-level committee is headed by retired federal secretary Shahid Khan.
Its members include Maj Gen (retd) Dr Khurshid Utra, Dr Barrister Nabeel Ahmed Awan and the Islamabad deputy commissioner.
The committee was instructed to submit an interim report within 48 hours of its formation.
It will subsequently have five days to complete its investigation and submit a comprehensive report containing findings and recommendations.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Thursday that the inquiry was intended to independently establish responsibility and that the interim findings were expected to clarify several aspects of the disaster.
14 Newborn Babies Killed
The fire broke out early Wednesday in the nursery on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital at PIMS.
Officials confirmed that 14 newborn babies died, making the incident one of Pakistan’s most devastating recent hospital fires.
The tragedy has triggered widespread public anger and renewed scrutiny of fire-safety standards in hospitals.
The federal government has announced Rs5 million in compensation for each bereaved family, while the prime minister has ordered accountability once responsibility is established.
Separately, authorities in Punjab have ordered fresh fire-safety checks at healthcare facilities following the PIMS disaster, underscoring the broader concerns the tragedy has raised about emergency preparedness in Pakistan’s hospitals.
Full Findings Expected Within Five Days
The interim report expected before the prime minister on Friday represents the first major milestone in the federal investigation.
However, it should not be treated as the final determination of the fire’s cause or responsibility. The committee is continuing its investigation and is expected to deliver its complete findings and recommendations within the five-day deadline.
Until that process is completed, conflicting claims about whether the blaze originated from an air conditioner, electrical wiring, oxygen infrastructure or another source remain under investigation.
