A devastating fire in the maternity ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad's largest state hospital, has resulted in the deaths of at least 14 newborn babies. The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, is being investigated by authorities.
Hospital administration confirmed the fatalities, stating that 15 babies were present in the ward when the fire began. The incident quickly engulfed the facility, making it one of the deadliest hospital fires in recent years in Pakistan.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal indicated that many of the infants were in incubators or on oxygen support, and that oxygen canisters likely exacerbated the fire. Kamal suggested that an air conditioner could have been the cause of the blaze, though investigators are still on the scene, and authorities have not yet confirmed the exact origin. Repair works and construction were reportedly ongoing at the hospital at the time of the incident.
Sohail Ashraf, the Islamabad chief commissioner, reported that emergency services received a call just before 7 am. Rescue and police teams promptly arrived, bringing the fire under control and immediately transferring the surviving children to the intensive care unit.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed an immediate investigation into the incident. He described the situation involving children as "irreparable" and called for those responsible to be identified and subjected to the "strictest action." Pakistan's President, Asif Ali Zardari, also expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased newborns, calling the loss of lives "heartbreaking."
