ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s government has ordered an immediate investigation after a fire at a major hospital in Islamabad killed 14 infants and injured others on Wednesday morning.
The blaze erupted in the Mother and Child Health Ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) around 6:45 a.m. local time, according to multiple official and media reports. Authorities confirmed the death toll and said at least one infant was rescued from the nursery, which housed 15 newborns at the time of the incident. The fire was brought under control within minutes, with rescue teams and police arriving on the scene promptly.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the deaths an “irreparable loss” and directed authorities to identify those responsible and take “the strictest possible action.” The Islamabad district magistrate formed a multiagency fact-finding committee to submit a report within 24 hours, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed “deep grief and sorrow” over the tragedy.
Cause of the fire
Officials and local broadcaster Geo TV attributed the fire to a fault in an air-conditioning unit’s compressor, which exploded inside the nursery. This claim was echoed by Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal and multiple independent reports. However, authorities have not yet issued a final determination on the cause, pending further investigation.
Casualties and response
Emergency responders said 19 people were rescued, including 10 women, 7 children, and 2 men. The injured were taken for medical treatment, though the extent of their injuries was not immediately disclosed. Outside the hospital, witnesses described scenes of distress, with parents and relatives gathered in grief as security personnel maintained order.
Hospital safety concerns
The incident has renewed scrutiny over fire safety standards in Pakistan’s public hospitals, where fires are reported frequently due to outdated electrical systems, lax enforcement of building codes, and overburdened infrastructure. In January, a fire at a shopping center in Karachi killed more than 65 people, while another mall fire in the city in 2023 resulted in at least 11 deaths. In 2021, a factory fire in Karachi claimed the lives of 16 workers.
The PIMS hospital, a government-run facility, serves as a major medical center in the capital. Its website describes its mission as training medical professionals and providing research-intensive care, though critics have long highlighted resource constraints and management challenges in state-run hospitals.
Identification of victims
Police stated that the infants who died were badly burnt, requiring DNA testing for identification. Authorities have pledged to return the remains to families only after confirmation, a process that has drawn emotional appeals from grieving parents.
The government has not yet named any individuals or entities as responsible for the fire, and no arrests have been reported. The investigation remains ongoing.