Sindh’s School Education and Literacy Department on Thursday ordered all privately managed schools in the province to immediately implement a comprehensive set of fire safety measures, following the deaths of 14 newborns in a fire at Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

The instructions were issued a day after a fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital at PIMS. Fifteen newborns were in the ward at the time. Fourteen suffered severe burns and later died, while one child survived and was rescued. The deaths have renewed scrutiny of fire-safety measures at healthcare facilities, including the availability of firefighting equipment, emergency exits and hospitals’ preparedness to respond to such emergencies.

In a notification issued on January 26, the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions made the measures mandatory, saying they were aimed at preventing “any untoward occurrence” and protecting the “safety, security and well-being” of students, teachers and staff.

The directive required schools to have “fully functional fire alarms, smoke detectors, and appropriate fire extinguishers” installed on every floor and at critical locations. It said the equipment must be “regularly tested, serviced, and maintained” to ensure it remains operational at all times.

Schools were also ordered to ensure that “emergency exits, staircases, and escape routes” remain unlocked, clearly marked, well illuminated and free of obstructions to allow students and staff to evacuate quickly.

The notification said electrical wiring, switchboards, laboratories, kitchens, generator rooms and other high-risk areas must undergo “periodic inspection, preventive maintenance, and certification by qualified professionals” to minimise fire and electrical hazards.

Schools were further directed to prominently display updated “fire evacuation plans, floor maps, and emergency instructions” in classrooms, corridors, stairwells and common areas.

Read: Punjab orders review of fire-safety arrangements at health facilities after PIMS tragedy

Under the new requirements, schools must conduct fire evacuation drills “at least twice each academic year” and maintain records of the drills, including the dates, observations and any corrective action taken.

The notification also required teaching and non-teaching staff to receive regular training in “fire emergency response, evacuation procedures, and basic first aid”. Schools were also told to make special arrangements for the safe evacuation of “students with disabilities, preschool children, and other vulnerable groups”.

Each school must also designate a clearly identified assembly point outside the building, with attendance to be checked immediately after an evacuation to ensure that everyone has been accounted for.

The directive further stated that “re-entry into the school premises shall be strictly prohibited” until clearance has been granted by the relevant emergency or regulatory authorities.

All privately managed schools were also instructed to comply with applicable fire safety laws and building regulations and to maintain valid safety certificates and inspection records for verification. The department directed schools to circulate the notification among their staff and ensure its implementation “in letter and spirit”.

“Non-compliance with these instructions shall be viewed seriously,” the notification warned, adding that action would be initiated against schools that failed to comply.