PIMS Tragedy: CCTV Footage Proves Staff Rescue Efforts, 9-Page Report Released
ISLAMABAD: Doctors, nurses and security personnel did a gallant job of trying to save babies during a devastating hospital fire in the PIMS report, which revealed itself in a 9-page investigative report, preliminary results of which have confirmed, thanks to CCTV, that all three made a valiant effort to save infants, but the cause of the fire has yet to be established.
The investigators’ report said the fire emergency exits were inappropriately locked or obstructed, and firefighters had to break through doors to reach the fire. Moreover, the overall fire and life safety plan at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) was rated as very poor and unsafe.
Historical events of the Fire and Countering the Abandonment Claims.
The report stated that the fire started in the PIMS nursery at 6.38 PM and in just two minutes the environment inside the ward turned catastrophic. Charge nurse Nasreen immediately called for help and security guard Maria went in to the nursery. The report specifically pointed out that the “all kinds of allegations” made by some that doctors and nursing personnel ran away, leaving the children to be wrong.
Staff nurse Razia rescued a baby from the burning nursery. Meanwhile, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) records showed there was no record of external power line fault or tripping of the electricity prior to the incident, meant that the biggest administrative lapses were within the internal security and fire safety systems of PIMS.
Administrative Lapses and Recommendations
The hospital’s contracted security firm has not carried out its basic duties and the committee has recommended that the contract between the administration and the security firm be reviewed. Dangers of a procedural vacuum were also noted, as no clear-cut procedure was in place regarding who was to pull the fire alarm or notify emergency rescue service.
The committee recommended that charge nurse Nasreen and security guard Maria be immediately removed from active duties and not be assigned to any further duties until final outcomes.