Hero Nurse Remembers the Tragic Pakistan Nursery Fire and the Lives Lost

Staff nurse Razia Noreen was at a medicine cupboard on the nursery ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad’s largest public-sector hospital, when a devastating fire broke out. Preparing morning injections just two doors away from the babies in her care, she noticed a light too sharp and red to be ordinary at 6:38am on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Her colleague, Sister Nasreen, was already shouting for help elsewhere in the ward.

Rushing into the nursery, Noreen emerged eight seconds later carrying a single newborn. Though she attempted to re-enter, thick smoke quickly engulfed the room, leaving her unable to go back inside. Out of fifteen newborns in the nursery, fourteen tragically perished, leaving the baby Noreen rescued as the sole survivor. Following the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif honored Noreen with an award and a cash prize for her remarkable courage.

Reflecting on the harrowing event, Noreen shared the profound trauma and ongoing grief she has faced since the incident. Despite receiving recognition and praise from leadership, including Dr Abdul Rehman and Dr Rimsha who also rushed to help during the emergency, the nurse continues to grapple with the loss of the other children and the severe impact of the smoke she inhaled that morning.