14 Newborns Die in Islamabad Hospital Fire; Pakistan Orders Investigation

At least 14 infants died in a fire that swept through a maternity ward at a government hospital in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Wednesday, officials said. The blaze broke out early in the morning on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the district administration said in a statement.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the death toll, saying all victims were infants. Nineteen people, including seven children, were rescued, according to Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry.

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told reporters outside the hospital that closed-circuit television footage showed a spark from an air conditioner had triggered the fire, which spread rapidly. He said 26 fire extinguishers were used, but the ward had no water sprinklers.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with thick black smoke filling the unit and patients and families scrambling to escape. Some reported a delay in the arrival of emergency services, though this was disputed by officials.

Khurram Mehmood, a 40-year-old father, said he lost his three-day-old daughter. “My wife was in the ward. They took everyone out. We were sitting on the road waiting for help,” he told AFP.

A woman named Jaweria, who also lost her infant, alleged that the door to the neonatal intensive care unit was locked. “I do not believe this. Give me my child back… Why did the doctors leave the children there?” she said.

Abdul Ghafoor, another witness, said he entered the hospital to help but could not reach the maternity ward. “The fire spread very quickly. There were babies as young as one day old,” he recounted. “There was thick black smoke inside and patients were trapped… Rescue teams arrived after almost two hours.”

Another unnamed witness accused hospital security of preventing people from leaving, saying guards stopped them. “People had to break the door down and rescue teams had to break the windows to control the fire,” she added.

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf said the emergency call was received before 7:00 a.m. local time, and responders reached the scene “immediately,” bringing the fire under control.

Television footage and AFP reporters at the scene showed a nurse reading out the names of the deceased infants as families gathered outside. Some mothers, covered in soot, held their surviving newborns. Shagufta Parveen, whose 10-day-old baby was safe, said, “People were screaming. There was black smoke. We ran for our lives. Thank God my baby is safe.”

Funerals began Wednesday afternoon, as Islamic burial customs call for interment within 24 hours. AFP journalists saw a tiny body wrapped in white being carried through the streets of nearby Rawalpindi, followed by mourners.

Prime Minister Sharif called for an investigation and demanded “strictest possible action” against those found responsible. He dismissed Health Secretary Aslam Ghori, the ministry's top civil servant, his office said.

Deputy Interior Minister Chaudhry announced a probe and said the bodies of the 14 infants were handed over to their parents. He rejected criticisms of a slow rescue, stating teams reached the hospital within six minutes. “What happened is sad, but there was no negligence when it came to the rescue operations,” he said. “What happened is to be inquired, where the hospital lacked facilities.”