In Pakistan, nurse saves baby from hospital fire
In Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, nurse Razia Noreen carried one newborn out of the fire-engulfed nursery ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital. There were 15 newborns in the ward: 14 of them died, and the child rescued by Noreen was the only survivor.
The fire broke out on August 26 at around 6:38 a.m. According to Al Jazeera English, surveillance camera footage showed that at 6:38:56, Noreen ran into the ward and emerged eight seconds later with a baby in her arms. By 6:40, the room was filled with thick smoke, through which the cameras could no longer record anything.
Attempt to save the other children
The nurse said she was preparing morning injections when she saw a bright red light through the ward's glass panel. According to her, flames were coming from the side of the air conditioner located in front of her. Noreen carried out the nearest child and handed the baby to doctor Abdul Rehman, after which she tried to return for the other newborns.
Together with doctor Rimsha and nurse Nasreen, she tried to make her way through the smoke while moving low to the floor. However, after the power went out, the ward became dark, and the fire and smoke prevented them from reaching the children. Noreen said she had expected to carry out several more newborns, but the fire was spreading faster.
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An interim conclusion by a government commission submitted on August 28 stated that the exact cause of the fire had not yet been definitively established. Possible explanations included an air conditioner, an incubator, or a short circuit. The commission also said that the available evidence did not support generalized accusations that medical and nursing staff had abandoned the newborns.
Award and condition of the rescued child
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presented Noreen with a check for 10 million Pakistani rupees and confirmed that she will receive the Sitara-i-Khidmat state award on March 23. The nurse has worked in the public healthcare system for 21 years, including 17 years at PIMS.
Noreen also said that no fire drills had been conducted in the ward before August 26. During the shift, two nurses and two doctors were on duty in the ward with 15 newborns. She stressed the need for drills, accessible fire extinguishers, ventilation to remove smoke, and a practiced evacuation route.
The rescued premature child, weighing just over one kilogram, is in intensive care in critical condition. Noreen said that she has been unable to sleep since the fire and regrets that she could not save the other children.
