Islamabad, Sep 17 (IANS) The neonatal unit in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, where 14 babies died in the blaze in August, had no fire alarms and sprinkler system, a report claimed, citing an official inquiry.
One firefighter who wanted to remain anonymous said that other rescue workers told him that entering PIMS was “extremely difficult.” The firefighter said that the doors towards the ward were locked and they had to enter through windows, the UK-based BBC reported.
The report from an investigative committee led by a retired senior civil servant found “systemic and institutional failure” which implies that what started as an electric spark led to “catastrophe.”
Some of the people who were present in the hospital on the morning of August 26 found out about the fire eruption through shouts of the people. Abdul Ghafoor who was in nearby ward with his mother, who was a patient at the hospital, heard someone warning that a fire had erupted.
CCTV from the hospital’s corridor revealed how quickly the blaze spread. The first indication that something was wrong in the hospital occurred at 6:38 am when a nurse was seen running from the ward to get help and coming back with a security guard after 20 seconds. Later, another nurse, was seen rushing to the ward, who returned with one of the babies who was the only one to survive, the BBC reported.
According to the report, smoke detection, fire alarms and sprinkler system were not working there. The report found no proof that the staff in the unit had been given training on how to evacuate children from the ward. It also found that staff were not given training on how to isolate the oxygen supply if there is any emergency.
Pakistani authorities suggested the fire erupted from a spark in the air conditioner of the ward. According to the report, this was the most probable reason behind the fire, due to an overheating electricity supply cable, although it is not clear what exactly caused the electricity defect.
Several babies in the unit were on oxygen support. The report mentioned that oxygen might have increased the fire but there is no proof that it created a pathway for it to spread.
On August 26, 14 babies died after a fire erupted at the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward at PIMS. At the time, Pakistan’s Health Minister had said that the fire erupted due to a spark in the air conditioner. The families of the deceased babies had said that the rescue teams reached the spot late, leading Pakistani daily Dawn had reported earlier.
At the time, the hospital said that the incident was caused by a spark inside the ward at 6:38 am, and massive fire erupted within seconds due to oxygen points at each incubator.
–IANS
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