According to reports from The Associated Press, nurse Razia Noreen saved the sole surviving newborn from an Aug. 26 hospital fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad that killed 14 other infants. Noreen rushed into the burning nursery and carried out a baby within eight seconds, an action captured on CCTV footage that has since led to widespread recognition and plans by the Pakistani government to award her the Sitara-i-khidmat, or Star of Service.
The Aug. 26 Nursery Fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences
The tragedy unfolded on the third floor of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, a major government hospital in Islamabad. Razia Noreen and her colleagues had just checked on the 15 newborns in their care and were preparing injections in an adjacent room when Noreen spotted flames, according to The Associated Press. She dropped her syringe and ran into the nursery, lifting a baby to her chest to shield the infant from thick smoke.
A 51-second CCTV clip captured Noreen emerging just eight seconds later to hand the newborn to a doctor. A government inquiry noted that conditions inside the nursery deteriorated catastrophically within approximately two minutes. Noreen attempted to return for the remaining infants alongside another nurse, dropping to the floor where smoke was thinner to crawl through the doorway. However, intense flames and choking smoke forced them back.
Official Investigation and Safety Failures
Hospital and district officials initially pointed to an exploding air-conditioning unit as the cause of the fire, though the hospital later stated that a blast involving a nebulizer sparked the blaze, according to The Associated Press. A government inquiry subsequently identified serious failures in both fire safety and the hospital’s emergency response. As a result of these findings, eight officials have been suspended and disciplinary proceedings initiated against them.
Recognition for Nurse Razia Noreen
Footage of Noreen’s eight-second rescue has led many Pakistanis to hail her as a national hero. The government announced she will receive the Sitara-i-Khidmat, along with a financial reward. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Noreen for showing exceptional courage and devotion to duty. Additionally, members of Pakistan’s Christian community—minorities in the overwhelmingly Muslim nation—have joined citizens across religious lines in praising her bravery, as reported by The Associated Press.
Noreen’s Response and Ongoing Trauma
Despite widespread public praise, Noreen rejects the label of heroism, describing her actions as the instinctive response of a nurse and a mother. “Can any mother watch a child burning in a fire?” she told The Associated Press, adding that caring for the children was her duty. Noreen remains deeply traumatized by the deaths of the 14 newborns she could not reach. She reported suffering from severe insomnia and a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 Celsius), stating that the memories of the fire and the cries of the children continue to overwhelm her.
Potential Next Steps Following the Tragedy
Disciplinary proceedings against the eight suspended hospital officials are expected to move forward as the government addresses the safety failures identified in the inquiry. For Noreen, recovery from the physical and emotional toll of the fire may take years, according to her statements to international media.
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