Government Announces Rs5m for Each Family After PIMS Fire

Pakistan's federal government has announced compensation of Rs5 million for each family whose newborn died in the fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, as investigators examine CCTV footage, staff statements and emergency-response records.

Fourteen newborns died after the fire broke out in the nursery on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health ward on the morning of August 26. Fifteen babies were inside, and one was rescued. Novexa News documented the initial emergency and official response in its report on the PIMS nursery fire.

The government said the payment could not compensate for a human life and described it as financial assistance intended to ease some of the immediate hardship faced by the bereaved families. It also pledged continued support while the inquiry proceeds.

Compensation follows calls for accountability

The announcement came one day after the fire, amid demands from parents, health workers, lawmakers and civil-society groups for an independent account of how the blaze began and why so many infants could not be evacuated.

The Rs5 million amount applies to each family that lost a newborn. Officials did not immediately publish details about the payment process, the documents families must provide or when the money will be released. Those administrative steps will determine how quickly the assistance reaches the affected households.

Compensation is separate from the inquiry. Accepting financial assistance does not itself answer questions about institutional responsibility, fire-safety compliance or whether any official may face disciplinary or legal action.

Inquiry committee reviews CCTV and staff accounts

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed a four-member inquiry committee led by former federal secretary Shahid Khan. The panel was directed to produce an interim report within 48 hours and a comprehensive report within five days.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the committee was reviewing footage to establish the sequence of events and determine whether there was enough time to disconnect oxygen and move infants from the nursery. He cautioned against predicting the technical findings before investigators complete their work.

According to reporting on the inquiry, four PIMS officers submitted written statements. The committee also obtained statements from nursery staff, the duty roster for August 26, fire-brigade records, emergency-department reports and CCTV footage. Investigators were comparing the video with the hospital administration's initial account.

Prime Minister Sharif suspended Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri after the fire. Retired Captain Muhammad Mahmood, the housing secretary, was given additional charge of the health ministry while the investigation continued.

Cause of the fire has not been finally established

Early accounts offered different explanations for the first ignition. Rescue sources referred to an air-conditioning compressor, while the hospital's initial report described an explosion involving a nebuliser used near an incubator. Video reportedly showed a flame near an air-conditioning unit.

Officials have said the high concentration of oxygen in the nursery contributed to the fire's rapid spread. The inquiry committee, however, has not issued its final determination. Until it does, no single technical explanation should be treated as conclusive.

The investigation is expected to examine electrical and medical equipment, the nursery's oxygen system, fire alarms, extinguishing equipment, staff readiness, evacuation routes and the response times of hospital and emergency personnel.

One child survived the nursery blaze

The fire began at about 6:45 a.m. and remained confined to the nursery, according to hospital officials. Other parts of PIMS were not affected. Staff were able to rescue one of the 15 newborns inside, while the bodies of the 14 who died were later released to their families for burial.

A candlelight vigil was held at the hospital as relatives, medical staff and members of civil society mourned the children and demanded accountability. The gathering reflected concern extending beyond a single institution: families want assurance that neonatal wards throughout Pakistan are equipped to prevent fires and evacuate patients who cannot be moved without specialist support.

UNICEF called for an urgent review and strengthening of fire-prevention and safety standards in health facilities, saying mothers and children should be able to receive care in a secure environment. Punjab authorities separately ordered a review of hospital fire-safety systems and emergency-response facilities.

What families are waiting to learn

The interim report should provide the first independent timeline of the fire, including when staff became aware of it, when alarms were raised and how rescue decisions were made. The comprehensive report is expected to address responsibility and recommend changes.

Key questions include whether the nursery held a valid fire-safety clearance, whether equipment was inspected on schedule, whether staff had practised neonatal evacuation and whether oxygen could have been isolated more quickly without placing infants at further risk.

The compensation decision provides immediate financial support, but its public significance will depend on what follows. Families are seeking a transparent investigation, enforceable safety improvements and accountability where negligence is established. Those outcomes will be determined by evidence collected by the committee, not by the payment announcement alone.