PIMS Fire: Father Says 55 Children Were in Nursery, All Burned, Report Express News

50 to 55 Children Were Inside the Nursery, All Burned": Grieving Father's Account After PIMS Fire, Report Express News

As grief turns to anger outside PIMS Hospital, a new account from a bereaved father is raising fresh questions about just how many newborns were actually present in the nursery when the fire broke out, and how the hospital responded in the critical first hour. According to an Express News report, the father's statement paints a far more chaotic picture than official figures have suggested so far.

Father Says Up to 55 Children Were in the Nursery

Speaking to media outside PIMS Hospital, the father of one of the deceased newborns said he used to visit the nursery daily and estimated that anywhere between 50 and 55 children were present at the time, according to Express News. He said none of them survived, describing the scene as one where every child in the ward was burned. This figure is notably higher than the official count of 16 newborns reported by hospital authorities as having been in the nursery.

"We Curse This System," Says Father

In an emotional statement carried by Express News, the grieving father lashed out at the state of the country's institutions, saying the system deserved nothing but condemnation. He alleged that Pakistan's systems and privileges are built only for the powerful, while ordinary citizens like him are left to suffer such tragedies.

Family Says They Were Kept From Their Daughter

According to the Express News report, the father said fire brigade and administration vehicles did not reach the hospital until around 9 AM, hours after the fire had already broken out. He further alleged that since the tragedy, he and his family have still not been allowed to see their daughter's body, with hospital staff denying them access inside.

Investigation and Government Action Continue

The Express News report notes that investigations into the deaths of the 15 newborns killed in the nursery fire are ongoing, alongside the Prime Minister's decision to immediately suspend and remove the federal health secretary from his post over the tragedy.

Pakistan Time Analysis

The father's statement to media was reported by Express News on the evening of Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Pakistan local time, hours after the fire broke out at PIMS Hospital earlier that morning. The gap between the father's account of up to 55 children in the nursery and the hospital's official figure of 16 is likely to add further pressure on the ongoing inquiry, with families now demanding access to their children and answers on the hospital's initial response time.

Read more: 

PIMS Hospital Fire: 14 Newborns Killed as Investigation Committee Formed

This report is based on details published by Express News.