The aunt of the only newborn who survived the fire at the PIMS Hospital nursery in Islamabad has shared her account of what happened during the incident.
Speaking to the media, the woman disputed claims made by the hospital administration and said she personally rescued her niece from the nursery after the fire broke out.
According to her account, she was present when the fire started. She said she saw a female doctor running out of the ward and, after learning that a fire had broken out, rushed inside because her niece was among the newborns.
She claimed that she picked up the baby herself and escaped from the ward. She said her hair and shoulder were slightly burned during the rescue and alleged that no doctor or nurse was present inside at the time, as medical staff had reportedly fled to safety.
The woman also alleged that hospital officials later gave conflicting accounts, at times claiming that a nurse had rescued the baby and at other times questioning whether she had taken the correct child.
According to PIMS officials, 16 newborns were present in the nursery when the fire broke out. Fifteen died while one newborn survived.
