At Least 14 Newborns Killed in Fire at Major Pakistani Hospital

At least 14 newborn infants died early Wednesday when a fire swept through the neonatal intensive care unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, the city’s largest state-run medical facility.

Hospital officials confirmed that 15 infants were inside the intensive care ward when the blaze broke out. According to hospital spokesperson Dr. Aneeza Jalil, a doctor successfully rescued one baby, while the remaining 14 infants died in the fire.

Investigators stated that the fire was triggered by an air conditioning unit that malfunctioned and exploded inside the nursery where infants receiving intensive care were placed. Pakistan’s health minister, Mustafa Kamal, explained that oxygen canisters supplying incubators and medical equipment significantly contributed to the rapid spread and severity of the flames.

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf said authorities received an emergency call shortly before 7:00 a.m. local time, prompting police and rescue services to deploy to the scene.

The fire triggered chaotic scenes throughout the maternity facility. Mothers who had recently given birth, including some recovering from Cesarean sections, were forced to escape by running down several flights of stairs or climbing out of windows onto rescue ladders.

Witnesses and family members reported that thick smoke quickly filled the corridors, making visibility nearly impossible and obstructing rescue attempts. Relatives also stated that very few medical staff were present in the ward during the emergency. One father, whose newborn son died in the disaster, claimed that the nursery door was locked with no staff available to open it, forcing emergency responders and bystanders to smash windows to reach the children.

Sardar Atti ur Rehman, whose wife had given birth at the facility the previous day, said he attempted to search the burning ward through heavy smoke. He reported seeing mothers who refused to evacuate without their children, screaming for help outside the intensive care unit as heat and dense smoke prevented entry.

The hospital administration released a statement asserting that the fire was quickly controlled and that infants were moved to intensive care.

Following the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an immediate investigation and demanded strict penalties for those found responsible, stating that “such a situation involving children is irreparable.” President Asif Ali Zardari also released a statement offering condolences to the grieving families.

Background

Structural and electrical fires in large public facilities, commercial centers, and industrial buildings are a recurring issue across Pakistan. Safety experts frequently attribute these incidents to outdated electrical infrastructure, poor maintenance, and lax enforcement of municipal building codes and safety regulations.