At least 14 newborn babies have died after a fire broke out in a maternity ward at a major state-run hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
The fire started on the third floor of the mother and child unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Wednesday morning. A hospital spokesman told the BBC that an air-conditioning unit caught fire.
The blaze killed 14 of the 15 babies who were in the affected ward at the time, according to a hospital spokesperson. The babies were being treated in incubators or connected to oxygen equipment when the fire broke out.
Babies Trapped as Fire Spreads Through Ward
Pakistan’s Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told Geo News that the newborns were either inside incubators or receiving oxygen.
Oxygen itself is not flammable, but it can accelerate combustion, allowing fires to burn more intensely and spread more rapidly. The fire also prompted an evacuation of other parts of the hospital.
Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said at least 19 other people were rescued, including 10 mothers, seven children and two men. The rescued patients were taken out of the building as smoke spread through the hospital.
Families Identify Newborn Victims
The deaths have left families gathering outside the hospital in shock and grief. Some relatives reportedly identified their babies through wristbands, while others used the children’s ages to distinguish them.
Chaudhry told the BBC that some of the newborns had been only a few hours old. One grieving father, Khurram Mehmood, told AFP that his three-day-old daughter died in the fire. He alleged that rescuers were slow to arrive, saying his family had been waiting outside for help.
Another witness, Abdul Ghafoor, said the fire spread rapidly and described thick black smoke inside the building. He told AFP that patients were trapped and claimed rescue teams arrived almost two hours after the fire began.
Witnesses also described broken glass and chaotic scenes as families and staff attempted to escape the building and save patients.
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Government Orders Immediate Investigation
The deaths have prompted a strong response from Pakistan’s government. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suspended Federal Secretary of Health Aslam Ghauri, removing him from his position as the government begins examining the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Sharif also chaired a high-level meeting on the incident and expressed what the information ministry described as “deep anger” at some officials. His office said he had instructed authorities to launch an immediate investigation.
The prime minister expressed “deep sorrow and heartfelt regret” over the deaths, adding that such a situation involving children was irreparable.
Islamabad’s District Magistrate has also established a fact-finding committee to investigate the incident. The committee has been given 24 hours to submit its report.
The latest tragedy is likely to intensify calls for stronger fire prevention measures and emergency response systems in hospitals.
