Fourteen infants were killed after a fire tore through a nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad early Wednesday.
The blaze erupted on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital, according to the Islamabad administration. Emergency crews rushed to the scene shortly after the fire began.
Television footage showed rescue workers climbing ladders and entering the affected area through broken windows.
Six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances took part in the operation. Firefighters brought the blaze under control and started cooling operations.
“The fire was immediately brought under control and the children were immediately shifted to the intensive care unit,” the Islamabad administration said.
Its statement added that 14 children “were completely burnt”.
Officials formed an inquiry committee under the additional deputy commissioner general to investigate the tragedy.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge Over Cause of PIMS Fire
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the incident occurred at around 6:45am.
Speaking to Geo News, he said the infants were either inside incubators or receiving oxygen at the time.
Kamal said the fire started after a “blast in the air conditioner” inside the ward. He added that nearby oxygen tanks intensified the blaze.
Rescue officials also cited an apparent explosion in an air conditioning compressor as the initial cause. The Associated Press reported a similar preliminary account.
However, PIMS spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil gave a different initial assessment.
She told Dawn that the fire appeared to have started because of a short circuit. She placed the time of the blaze at around 7am.
Jalil said 15 babies were inside the ward.
“At least one baby was saved by a doctor,” she said.
The exact cause will now form part of the official investigation.
Official government and hospital accounts available on Wednesday morning put the death toll at 14. AP also reported 14 deaths.
Reuters later cited Geo TV as reporting at least 15 deaths and 16 newborns in the ward. The differing figures showed that authorities were still reconciling information after the fire.
Renovation Work Raises Questions
Malik Israr, whose niece was receiving treatment in the gynaecology ward, raised concerns about conditions inside the building.
He told Dawn that repair and renovation work was underway in the building housing the nursery.
“After the fire erupted, they told patients to vacate the building. Women who had just given birth had to rush down the stairs from the second floor,” he said.
The inquiry will now face questions about fire safety, electrical systems and emergency arrangements inside the hospital.
PIMS is one of Islamabad’s largest and most important government healthcare facilities.
The institute was completed in 1985 and provides tertiary healthcare to patients from Islamabad and several surrounding regions.
Its Mother and Child Health Centre has 156 beds. PIMS also operates a neonatal unit at the centre.
According to the hospital, that neonatal unit has 14 beds and supports more than 14,000 deliveries each year.
PM Shehbaz Orders Investigation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the PIMS fire and ordered an immediate investigation.
The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed 14 deaths and said authorities must determine responsibility.
“Such a situation that involves children is unbearable,” Shehbaz said.
He expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the families. The prime minister also directed officials to identify the factors behind the tragedy.
Reuters quoted the PMO as saying those responsible should face strict action.
Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani also expressed grief over the deaths.
He called for effective fire safety systems and stronger emergency arrangements in hospitals.
“Any negligence in safety measures is unacceptable,” Gilani said.
He urged authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation and take practical steps to prevent another such tragedy.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also expressed profound sorrow.
He said he was “heartbroken” by the deaths and shared the grief of the bereaved parents.
The tragedy has renewed concerns over safety arrangements at major public hospitals. Investigators will now examine what caused the fire and whether existing safeguards failed.
