Punjab Orders Urgent Hospital Fire Safety Audit After Deadly PIMS Blaze
LAHORE, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered an urgent review of fire-safety arrangements at public-sector hospitals across the province after 14 newborn babies were killed in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, prompting broader scrutiny of emergency preparedness at healthcare facilities.
The Punjab government directed hospital administrations and relevant authorities to conduct a fresh safety audit within 24 hours and submit their findings, according to instructions issued by the Chief Minister’s Office.
The review will cover firefighting equipment, emergency exits, electrical installations and other systems considered critical for protecting patients and healthcare workers during emergencies.
Separately, the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) instructed both public and private hospitals to strengthen their emergency preparedness following the PIMS tragedy.
Fire Extinguishers and Emergency Exits to Be Checked
Deputy commissioners have been directed to verify whether fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment at public hospitals are available, functional and appropriately located.
Emergency exits will also be examined in consultation with Rescue 1122, with authorities assessing whether evacuation routes are accessible and suitable for emergencies.
The instructions are particularly significant for critical hospital areas where patients may be unable to evacuate independently, including intensive care units, nurseries and emergency departments.
Rescue 1122 has also been tasked with reviewing the availability and functionality of fire hydrant points near healthcare facilities and identifying locations where additional hydrants are required.
Authorities have been given one week to carry out necessary rectification and installation work.
Electrical Wiring and Medical Equipment Under Review
The government has ordered a comprehensive assessment of air-conditioning units, electrical wiring and electro-medical equipment at hospitals.
Relevant health departments have been instructed to submit compliance reports by August 29.
Electrical systems are a particularly important part of the review because hospitals operate large numbers of high-load medical devices alongside oxygen systems and other infrastructure that can increase the consequences of a fire.
Concerns about such risks predate the PIMS tragedy. An Express Tribune investigation published in February found outdated electrical infrastructure and inadequate firefighting arrangements at several major public hospitals, highlighting the continuing risks associated with overloaded wiring and insufficient safety systems.
Monthly Emergency Drills Ordered
Maryam Nawaz has also directed deputy commissioners to organise monthly emergency drills at healthcare facilities with the assistance of Rescue 1122 and relevant government departments.
The exercises are intended to ensure hospital personnel understand evacuation procedures and can respond effectively during fires and other emergencies.
Punjab’s health departments and the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab have additionally been directed to examine the feasibility of introducing technology-based fire protection systems.
The proposed measures include fire alarms, smoke detectors and water sprinkler systems in intensive care units, nurseries, emergency departments, district and tehsil headquarters hospitals and major tertiary-care institutions.
PHC Directs Public and Private Hospitals to Act
The Punjab Healthcare Commission’s intervention expands the safety push beyond government-run hospitals.
The regulator directed both public and private healthcare establishments to review their fire-safety arrangements and strengthen emergency preparedness, making the response a wider provincial healthcare issue rather than solely a public-sector audit.
The measures follow one of Pakistan’s deadliest recent hospital fires.
PIMS Fire Killed 14 Newborns
The PIMS tragedy occurred on August 26 when a fire swept through the nursery of the hospital’s Mother and Child Health facility in Islamabad.
Fourteen newborn babies were killed. Investigators examining the nursery have been tasked with determining the precise cause of the blaze and assessing whether fire-safety arrangements and the emergency response were adequate.
A preliminary PIMS report said a spark triggered the blaze at around 6:38am, with the fire spreading rapidly because oxygen points were installed at incubators. The report said staff attempted to evacuate babies before a major blast occurred and part of the ceiling collapsed.
Reuters separately reported Health Minister Mustafa Kamal as saying the blaze originated from an air-conditioning unit and that high oxygen levels accelerated the fire.
Because investigations remain underway, the precise technical cause should therefore be treated as preliminary rather than conclusively established.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into the disaster, while the tragedy has triggered calls for stronger fire and emergency safety standards at hospitals across Pakistan.
Punjab’s latest orders now put hospital administrations under immediate pressure to identify deficiencies before another emergency occurs.
