Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed sorrow over a tragic incident at a large public hospital in the capital Islamabad, where a fire broke out in the newborn baby ward on Wednesday morning, resulting in the death of at least 14 infants.
According to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, the fire erupted at around 6:45 a.m. on August 26th on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Department at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, triggered by the explosion of an air conditioning compressor in the ward.
Firefighters swiftly arrived at the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze, with rescue teams carrying out cooling operations afterwards. Islamabad’s Chief Commissioner Suhail Ashraf later confirmed that the fire had been put out, and authorities were coordinating with the families of the deceased infants.
Local media reported that there were a total of 15 newborn babies in the ward at the time of the fire, with only one being rescued.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office stated that he has ordered an immediate investigation by the relevant departments into the incident.
Within hours of the tragedy, the Islamabad district authorities appointed a cross-departmental inquiry committee, instructing them to submit a report within 24 hours. The government announced that the committee would investigate the cause of the fire, assess whether adequate fire safety measures were in place, and evaluate the emergency response.
The incident has shocked the nation, with some of the parents and relatives of the victims gathering outside the hospital. Some were inconsolable, while others demanded accountability. Security forces were deployed at the scene.
A parent named Javeria, who lost her newborn baby, protested outside the hospital, demanding justice, saying, “Give me back my child.”
Mohammad Sami shared that his wife had given birth just three days prior, and their baby was receiving critical care in the newborn ward during the fire.
Sami stated that hospital authorities informed the families that the bodies of the deceased infants would be handed over once the necessary procedures were completed.
Both Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed condolences for the victims, with Sharif emphasizing that tragedies involving children were irreparable losses.
This ranks as one of the most deadly hospital fires in recent years in Pakistan. Witnesses noted that the maternity ward where the fire broke out was located in a building undergoing renovations, causing chaos as women who had just delivered were forced to evacuate during the fire.
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, situated in the heart of Islamabad, is one of the country’s largest public hospitals. In January of this year, a shopping mall fire in Karachi claimed the lives of over 65 people. Additionally, in 2012, a garment factory fire in the Baldia Town area of Karachi’s western part resulted in over 250 deaths, as the building lacked proper fire exits.