Vigil held in Pakistan for 14 newborns as investigators probe cause of fatal PIMS Hospital fire

A candlelight vigil was held on Thursday at the scene of a devastating hospital fire in Pakistan's federal capital which killed 14 newborn babies, as investigators appointed by the prime minister arrived at the site to determine the cause of the blaze.

The government is facing pressure from grieving families and the public who are seeking answers about the cause of the fire and the safety measures at a major health facility.

The scene at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) was somber as doctors, staff, patients and relatives gathered to mourn the newborns.

Access was restricted to the third-floor area where the fire occurred.

During the vigil, members of civil society groups sat on the hospital floor beside rows of flickering candles, their grief and anger reflected in brightly colored, handwritten placards.

Members of Pakistan's parliamentary committee speak to the media after visiting the site of a fire at PIMS Hospital to oversee the ongoing investigation on Thursday. AFP

"Investigators, no more graves for our babies," one read. A woman fought back tears as some participants chanted, "We want justice," and demanded accountability. The police did not intervene, and the demonstrators later dispersed peacefully.

The fire early on Wednesday at the hospital was confined to a third-floor nursery and did not affect the rest of the building.

Activists light candles next to flowers placed outside the Mother and Child Health ward to protest against the death of infants in a fire at PIMS Hospital. AFP

Hospital officials said the blaze spread so quickly that two doctors, two nurses and other staff present were able to rescue only one baby from among the 15 in the nursery. Witnesses, including relatives of other patients, said they saw the family of the only baby to survive the fire leave the hospital with him after the blaze broke out.

Women leave the Mother and Child Health ward at PIMS Hospital in Islamabad. AP

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif appointed the investigating committee, led by retired federal secretary Shahid Khan. They are expected to take statements from hospital staff, witnesses and families. The committee is expected to make urgent recommendations to Shahbaz Sharif within 48 hours and deliver a comprehensive report within five days.

Hospital and district officials initially said an exploding air-conditioning unit caused the fire.

In its preliminary report, however, the hospital said a blast involving a nebulizer sparked the blaze, which spread within minutes because of the high concentration of oxygen in the nursery. The committee has not reached its own conclusion and will independently determine the cause, the city administration said.

Officials said authorities handed over the bodies of all 14 newborns to their families for burial Wednesday night. Witnesses saw the families leaving the hospital with them in ambulances which were arranged by the government.

Mourners offer funeral prayers for a newborn child who died following a fire at PIMS Hospital. AFP

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) expressed grief over the newborns’ deaths and offered condolences to their families. The group has been behind numerous deadly attacks on security forces and civilians across the country in recent years.

The deaths prompted authorities to order broader reviews of fire-safety measures and firefighting equipment at hospitals.

In Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, the government instructed the Health Department to immediately review fire-safety systems and emergency-response facilities, according to a government statement.

A woman places a flower outside the Mother and Child Health ward as she pays homage to infants killed in a fire at PIMS Hospital. AFP

Shahbaz dismissed Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri, the Health Ministry’s highest-ranking civil servant, after the fire. Grieving parents and members of civil society have demanded answers about how the fire began and whether the nursery had adequate firefighting equipment.

The UN children’s agency, UNICEF, said it was saddened by the deaths and called for an urgent review and strengthening of fire-prevention and safety standards at health facilities.

The fire was among Pakistan’s deadliest recent tragedies involving children. In June, 14 schoolchildren were killed when the roof of a tutoring center under construction collapsed in the eastern city of Lahore.

Associated Press