'I could not save the rest': Nurse recalls Pakistan hospital nursery fire

A nurse from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has spoken publicly about a devastating fire that broke out in the hospital's newborn nursery. The blaze killed 14 infants, while the nurse managed to rescue only one baby from the ward.

Recalling the chaos

In her account, the nurse described scenes of panic and screaming as the fire engulfed the nursery. She recalled grabbing one newborn and carrying the infant to safety, but said she was unable to go back in time to save the others before the situation became uncontrollable.

Scale of the tragedy

The fire claimed the lives of 14 babies in the nursery, underscoring the severity of the incident. The nurse's testimony offers a rare, personal glimpse into the emotional toll faced by medical staff who, in emergencies, can only save a fraction of those in their care.

The incident highlights the vulnerability of newborns in hospital nursery and intensive care settings, where patients are entirely dependent on staff to respond and evacuate them during an emergency, unable to protect themselves.