PIMS Hospital Fire: Health minister vows action over deaths of 14 children

ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal visited the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Wednesday following a fire that killed 14 children, offering condolences to the bereaved families and reviewing the situation at the hospital.

Speaking to reporters, Kamal described the incident as “an extremely heartbreaking tragedy” and said anyone found responsible for negligence would face legal action.

The minister said preliminary findings indicated that the incident began at around 6:38am when a flame reportedly emerged from inside an air-conditioning unit.

According to Kamal, video footage recorded about a minute later showed people evacuating the affected room.

He said 15 children were receiving oxygen in the ward when the incident occurred, while four children in an adjacent room were rescued.

Kamal said authorities had launched a detailed investigation and would share its findings with the media. He expected a comprehensive report within two to three days.

The minister also said he had offered himself for accountability and acknowledged that PIMS faced several problems. He vowed that anyone found responsible for negligence would not be spared.

Asked whether he would resign following the deaths, Kamal said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was his superior and had the final authority on the matter.

The minister also referred to previous incidents involving the theft of children from the hospital’s paediatric ward, saying security measures had subsequently been strengthened.

Meanwhile, relatives of the deceased children protested during Kamal’s media briefing. They expressed anger over the tragedy and accused authorities of turning the incident into a public spectacle.

The deaths have intensified scrutiny of safety arrangements at PIMS, while investigators work to determine the exact cause of the fire and establish whether negligence contributed to the loss of life.