Pakistan hospital fire: 8 officials suspended over deaths of 14 newborns

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the suspension of eight officials and directed that criminal proceedings be initiated against those found responsible for a fire that killed 14 newborns at a hospital in Islamabad, his office said on Saturday.Sharif issued the orders after an interim report by an investigative committee found serious lapses in fire safety and emergency preparedness at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).The fire broke out on the third-floor nursery on Wednesday, where 15 newborns were being treated. The blaze spread rapidly, and hospital staff were able to rescue only one baby, officials said.The committee found that the nursery had neither a fire alarm nor a sprinkler system. It also said the hospital lacked detailed procedures and adequate training to deal with fires and other emergencies.The report said supervisory staff were not present when the fire broke out. Two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were in the ward at the time.Emergency services were alerted six minutes after the fire started, while the first responders arrived 15 minutes after receiving the call, according to the interim report.Investigators als...