At least 14 newborn babies died in an early morning fire in the neonatal nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the biggest state hospital in Islamabad. The prime minister has ordered an investigation as questions emerge over safety at the ward.
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Key facts
- At least 14 newborns died in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.
- Officials said 15 babies were in the ward when the fire broke out; only one infant was rescued.
- The BBC reports the fire broke out in an air conditioning unit at the mother and child unit.
- Pakistan's prime minister ordered an investigation and promised the 'strictest action' against those responsible.
- Witnesses said the ward door was locked, though a hospital official told the BBC it was manned by security guards, not locked.
At least 14 newborn babies have died in a fire that broke out in the neonatal nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), one of Pakistan’s most prominent state hospitals, according to reports from Al Jazeera, the Guardian, the BBC and Sky News. The blaze began in the early hours of Wednesday at the facility in Islamabad, the country’s capital.
Authorities at the hospital, described by the Guardian as the biggest state hospital in Islamabad, said 15 babies were in the ward when the fire broke out. Multiple outlets, including Al Jazeera citing Geo News, reported that only one infant was rescued from the neonatal facility.
The cause of the fire remains under scrutiny. The BBC reported that the fire broke out in an air conditioning unit at the mother and child unit. Al Jazeera described the nursery as a facility for critical infants that was ‘supposedly the safest place’ in the hospital.
Questions have been raised over whether the ward could be safely evacuated. According to the BBC, witnesses said the door to the ward was locked. However, a hospital official told the BBC that the door was not locked but was instead manned with security guards to protect the babies.
Pakistan’s prime minister has ordered an investigation into the fire and promised the ‘strictest action’ against those responsible for the blaze, Al Jazeera reported. The incident has prompted grief and anger, with Al Jazeera reporting on the reaction of families affected by the tragedy.
Why it matters
The deaths of at least 14 vulnerable newborns at a leading state hospital raise urgent questions about fire safety and emergency evacuation procedures in Pakistan's public health facilities. Conflicting accounts over whether the ward door was locked will be central to the investigation ordered by the prime minister.
Frequently asked questions
How many babies died in the Islamabad hospital fire?
At least 14 newborn babies died, according to reports from Al Jazeera, the Guardian, the BBC and Sky News. Officials said 15 babies were in the ward when the fire broke out, and only one infant was rescued.
Where did the fire happen?
The fire broke out in the neonatal nursery of the mother and child unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the biggest state hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital.
What caused the fire?
The BBC reported that the fire broke out in an air conditioning unit at the mother and child unit. Pakistan's prime minister has ordered an investigation into the blaze.
Timeline
- Locked inside: Grief and anger as Pakistan hospital fire kills 14 newborns
Al Jazeera: A nursery for critical infants — supposedly the safest place in Islamabad's PIMS hospital — turned into a deathtrap.
- Door was locked at Pakistan hospital where fire killed 14 babies, witnesses say
BBC World: A hospital official told the BBC that the door to the ward was not locked, but manned with security guards, to protect the babies.
- At least 14 babies die in Pakistan hospital fire
BBC World: The fire broke out in an air conditioning unit at the mother and child unit in one of Islamabad's main hospitals.
- Hospital nursery fire kills 14 newborns in Pakistan's capital, officials order immediate inquiry
NPR News: A fire erupted early Wednesday in a nursery for newborns at a major government hospital in Pakistan's capital, killing 14 babies, according to hospital officials and the government.
- At least 14 newborn babies die in fire at Pakistan hospital’s maternity ward
The Guardian World: Authorities at biggest state hospital in Islamabad say 15 babies were in the ward when fire broke out At least 14 newborn babies have died in a fire that broke out in the maternity ward at one of Pakistan’s most prominent state hospitals. The blaze began in the early hours of Wed
- At least 15 newborns killed in Pakistan hospital fire
Al Jazeera: Only one child rescued after fire breaks out in the nursery at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Geo News reports.
- At least 14 newborn babies killed in Pakistan hospital nursery fire
Al Jazeera: Prime minister orders investigation and promises 'strictest action' against those responsible for the blaze.
- At least 14 babies killed in Pakistan hospital nursery fire
Al Jazeera: Only one infant rescued from the neonatal facility where the fire broke out, in Pakistan's capital.
- At least 14 newborn babies die in Islamabad hospital fire
Sky News: At least 14 babies have died at a hospital nursery in Pakistan, officials say.