Shehbaz Sharif Orders Criminal Proceedings Following Fire That Killed 14 Newborns at Islamabad Hospital
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the suspension of eight officials and initiated criminal proceedings against those responsible for a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. The blaze, which occurred in a third-floor nursery, killed 14 newborns and left one baby rescued from a group of 15. An interim report by an investigative committee led by Shahid Khan revealed that the nursery lacked a fire alarm and a sprinkler system. The report also noted that the hospital lacked detailed procedures and training for emergency responses. Furthermore, supervisory staff were not on duty when the fire began, and emergency services were called only six minutes after the start of the blaze. In response to the tragedy, the administration announced compensation of 5 million rupees for each bereaved family. The administration also approved a state award for a nurse who risked her life to save a baby. Following the fire, the administration dismissed Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri. The government in Punjab also ordered an immediate review of fire-safety systems across hospitals in the province.
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India and Pakistan are united in spending citizen lives like pocket change
Al Jazeera
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8 officials suspended after probe into Pakistan hospital fire that killed 14 newborns
CNN
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Fourteen infant lives later
The Express Tribune
Paywall and unreadable sources
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14 Newborns Die in Hospital Fire in Pakistan’s Capital
The New York Times
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Fire Spread Through Nursery 'Within 2 Minutes'
Newser