Electrical Fault Blamed for Nursery Fire; PIMS Administration Faulted – Report
Mian Nadeem
Published September 15, 2026 | 03:57 PM
The Prime Minister’s inquiry committee determined a strong likelihood that the fire originated in the power supply cable of AC No. 2, with no evidence of sabotage or an IESCO fault.
ISLAMABAD (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 15th Sep, 2026) A fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad was caused by an electrical fault, according to the inquiry report from a committee headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The report concluded that the PIMS administration had been negligent. It indicated a strong possibility that the fire started within the power supply cable of AC No. 2, with no evidence pointing to sabotage or IESCO faults; additionally, there was no proof suggesting an oxygen leak or incubator as the cause.
The report highlighted immediate action taken by frontline staff upon the fire’s outbreak. It emphasized that no criminal offense was attributed to any individual.
It pointed out critical shortcomings at the nursery: a lack of automatic smoke detection systems and alarms, as well as inadequate implementation of prior safety warnings after a previous fire incident in July. The report noted that 15 newborns were being treated in the nursery at the time of the fire, with 14 fatalities. It emphasized that these deaths resulted from multiple failures beyond just a faulty safety system.
The committee recommended further investigations into electrical installations, emergency exits, and warnings. They also suggested immediate fire, life-safety, and electrical audits at PIMS. The report proposed developing specific emergency evacuation procedures for newborns and promptly activating fire detection, alarm, and exit systems.
