KARACHI – A fire broke out at the pediatric ward of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH), the city’s major KMC-run medical facility, causing panic among parents and patients on Wednesday.
The Incident The blaze erupted unexpectedly within the children’s ward of the Nazimabad-based hospital, quickly filling the area with dense smoke. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the hospital staff acted swiftly to contain the fire before it could spread to other departments.
No Casualties Reported Fortunately, due to the timely intervention of the medical and paramedical staff, no injuries or fatalities were reported. As a precautionary measure, the power supply to the ward was immediately disconnected to prevent a short circuit. Electricity was restored shortly after the situation was brought under control.
Administration’s Response Surprisingly, the hospital administration chose not to call the Fire Brigade for the cooling process, claiming the staff had successfully extinguished the flames. Senior administrators visited the site following the incident and expressed satisfaction with the emergency response, though the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined.
Grateful but Concerned While parents of the children admitted to the ward expressed deep anxiety during the chaos, they lauded the staff for their bravery. “If the staff hadn’t acted instantly, this could have turned into a massive tragedy for our children,” said one parent.
The incident has once again raised questions regarding the fire safety protocols and emergency equipment available at the metropolis’s government-run hospitals.
