At least 14 newborn babies were killed after a fire broke out in the Mother and Child Hospital at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on Wednesday morning.
Television footage showed rescue workers using ladders to reach broken windows and access the affected ward. Outside the hospital, relatives were seen grieving as emergency personnel and security officials gathered at the scene.
The Islamabad administration said the fire erupted on the third floor of the hospital’s ward. Six fire engines and four ambulances were dispatched to the scene, while rescue teams evacuated the affected area.
Officials said the blaze was brought under control and the infants were shifted to the intensive care unit. However, 14 babies sustained fatal burns.
PIMS spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil said 15 babies had been present in the ward and that at least one was rescued by a doctor. She said six bodies had been handed over to their families, while the remaining bodies would be released shortly.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the infants had been either in incubators or receiving oxygen. He said the fire broke out around 6:45am, apparently following what he described as a blast in an air conditioner. He added that the presence of oxygen tanks intensified the fire.
Relatives of the victims criticised the hospital’s safety arrangements and described chaotic scenes during the evacuation.
Malik Israr, whose niece was admitted to the ward, said the nursery was located in a building where repair and renovation work was under way. He said patients were instructed to leave the building after the fire erupted, forcing women who had recently given birth to rush down the stairs.
Khurram Mehmood said his three-day-old daughter died in the fire. He alleged that rescuers took hours to arrive, saying families were left waiting outside the hospital for assistance.
Another mother, Shagufta Parveen, said she ran from the ward carrying her 10-day-old baby after smoke filled the building.
Javeria, whose newborn died in the incident, appealed for justice outside the hospital, while another bereaved parent alleged that most of the ward’s doors were closed and that adequate fire-safety arrangements were not available.
PIMS, established in 1985, is Islamabad’s largest public-sector hospital and includes several specialised hospitals and teaching institutions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Expressing grief over the deaths, the prime minister directed authorities to determine the cause of the incident, identify those responsible and take the strictest action if negligence was established.
The prime minister subsequently chaired a high-level meeting and ordered the removal and suspension of Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghauri. He also constituted an inquiry committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan to investigate the incident.
A separate fact-finding committee was formed by the Islamabad district administration to determine the cause of the fire and assess the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements and the effectiveness of the emergency response.
The committee includes officials from Capital Emergency Services, Islamabad Police, the district administration, Capital Development Authority, PIMS and Islamabad Electric Supply Company. It has been directed to submit its findings within 24 hours.
Minister of State for Law Aqeel Malik said a “complete, transparent and impartial investigation” would establish the causes of the incident. He said strict legal action would be taken if negligence or failure was established at any level.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed condolences to the bereaved families, describing the deaths as a heartbreaking and irreparable loss. He called for those responsible to be identified and held accountable and stressed the need for effective fire-safety and emergency systems in hospitals.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also expressed grief over the deaths and extended condolences to the affected families.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called the incident an unbearable tragedy and demanded an impartial investigation into how the fire occurred at a major public hospital. He said those found responsible for negligence should be held accountable.
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari called for a swift, thorough and transparent investigation into the deaths.
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif also expressed grief and urged the government to take strict action against those responsible and introduce measures to prevent similar incidents.
Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed condolences and called for stronger fire-safety systems and emergency preparedness in hospitals.
The British High Commission and French Embassy in Pakistan also expressed condolences to the families of the newborns.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) expressed deep grief over the deaths and called for accountability over alleged administrative and regulatory failures.
The association urged authorities to take action against officials responsible for failing to enforce safety standards and called for stronger oversight of fire-safety systems, building codes and emergency infrastructure at healthcare facilities.
The PMA also called for institutional support for the bereaved families, including legal, financial and emotional assistance.
