Welding carried out near infants on oxygen at Karachi hospital — The Express Tribune
At the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi, Pakistan, welding work was carried out in a neonatal ward where children were staying, some of whom were receiving oxygen. A video obtained by The Express Tribune shows a man welding inside the room while infants lie in beds a few meters away from him.
Work in the neonatal ward
According to the publication’s sources, between 80 and 120 children were in the ward during the repairs. Most of them were newborns receiving oxygen. The work, the publication reported, was intended to create an emergency exit in the neonatal emergency department and install an iron grille for a new passage to the semi-critical unit.
It is unknown whether the infants were moved to a safe place before the welding began and whether the work area was separated from the patients. Experts cited by the publication noted that welding near oxygen cylinders and children receiving oxygen is extremely dangerous: sparks can cause ignition in an environment with a high oxygen concentration.
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Fire safety shortcomings
The incident occurred amid previously identified fire safety problems at NICH. An audit deemed the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the hospital extremely dangerous and documented shortcomings in the neonatal intensive care unit.
In particular, the audit cited the close placement of electrical and oxygen points, leaks in the oxygen line, and pipe connections that were reportedly sealed with tape. Open and dangerous electrical wiring was also found. The fire alarm system was not working, while most smoke detectors were faulty or inactive.
The inspection also found a shortage of fire extinguishers, insufficient staff training for fire emergencies, a lack of regular fire drills, and emergency exits blocked by equipment and waste. Fires had previously occurred at the hospital: on June 30, the intensive care unit caught fire, and in January 2020, a newborn died after an incubator caught fire. NICH Director Nasir Saleem did not respond to the publication’s repeated requests for comment on this case.
