ISLAMABAD – The district administration has formed an eight-member inquiry committee to investigate the fire that broke out in the nursery of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital in Islamabad.
According to the information provided, the committee will be headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner. The Director General of Capital Emergency Services and the Superintendent of Police (SP) City are also part of the committee. The Assistant Commissioner I-9 and the Director General of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have also been included.
The committee has been directed to complete its investigation and submit a report within 24 hours.
The fire broke out in the hospital nursery earlier today, resulting in the deaths of 15 newborn babies. Hospital officials said that 16 infants were present in the nursery when the fire started. One child was rescued, while 15 died in the incident.
The parents of the deceased infants have raised serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. They alleged that hospital staff were not present in the incubation centre when the fire broke out.
According to the parents, neither a gynecology doctor nor other staff members were present in the nursery at the time of the incident. They also alleged that the door of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was locked.
The grieving parents have demanded DNA testing to identify the deceased infants and called for action against the hospital administration. They also claimed that rescue personnel arrived two hours after the incident, while police reached the hospital four hours later.
The inquiry committee is expected to examine the circumstances of the fire, the presence and response of hospital staff, emergency response arrangements, and the allegations raised by the parents before submitting its findings.
