Fourteen Newborns Die in Fire at Pakistan’s Premier Medical Institute in Islamabad

A fire swept through the newborn nursery at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad on Wednesday morning, claiming the lives of 14 infants and sending shockwaves through the nation’s capital. The blaze erupted around 6:45 a.m. in the gynecology ward, where at least 15 newborns were being cared for at the time. One infant was rescued from the facility, one of the country’s largest public hospitals.

Authorities determined that an air-conditioning unit compressor exploded, triggering the fire that spread through the nursery. Firefighters extinguished the flames quickly, and rescue teams initiated cooling operations at the scene. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed the death toll and announced he was traveling from Karachi to oversee the investigation personally.

Within hours, the Islamabad district magistrate established a multiagency fact-finding committee tasked with submitting findings within 24 hours. The panel will examine the fire’s origin and spread, assess whether adequate fire-safety protocols existed, and evaluate the emergency response. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both ordered immediate investigations and called for those responsible to face legal consequences.

Grief engulfed the hospital as devastated families gathered, with some demanding answers about fire-safety equipment and emergency procedures. Mohammad Sami, who had given birth three days before the fire, lost her infant who was receiving intensive care. Hospital officials said bodies would be released to families after completion of required documentation.