Deadly Blaze at Islamabad Hospital Nursery Claims 14 Newborn Lives

ISLAMABAD — A blaze broke out early Wednesday in the newborn ward of a major government hospital in Pakistan’s capital, claiming the lives of 14 infants, hospital officials and government sources said.

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad reported that at least 15 newborns were present in the nursery when the fire started, according to hospital officials.

Officials said at least one infant was rescued, while Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed that at least 14 babies had perished.

Rescue officials reported that the fire ignited around 6:45 a.m. when an air‑conditioning unit’s compressor exploded inside the nursery located in the gynecology ward.

Firefighters arrived swiftly, put out the blaze, and rescue teams commenced cooling operations at the scene, local media reported. Islamabad Chief Commissioner Suhail Ashraf later confirmed the fire had been extinguished and said authorities were working with the families.

Within hours, the Islamabad district magistrate convened a multi‑agency fact‑finding panel tasked with delivering a report within 24 hours. The committee will investigate the fire’s origin and spread, assess whether proper fire‑safety measures were in place, and evaluate the emergency response, according to a government notice.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed their sorrow over the tragedy.

“A tragedy involving children is an irreparable loss,” said Sharif, who ordered an immediate investigation.

President Asif Ali Zardari also extended his condolences to the families, calling the deaths “heartbreaking and an irreparable loss.”

Zardari urged that those responsible be identified and held accountable under the law, and called on hospitals to implement effective fire‑safety measures and emergency procedures, especially in newborn care units.

The loss of the infants triggered a wave of shock and grief nationwide. Police were deployed to the hospital as grieving parents and relatives gathered—some in tears, others demanding accountability and answers about how the fire started and whether the nursery had sufficient firefighting equipment.

Mohammad Sami said she had given birth three days earlier and her baby was receiving intensive care in the nursery when the fire broke out.

“I don’t know what to say or whom to blame,” she said through tears. “I have lost my child.”

Hospital officials informed families that the bodies would be released once the required paperwork was completed, Sami said.

Kamal, the health minister, told Geo News that he was traveling from Karachi to Islamabad to personally oversee the investigation.

Officials were in contact with the families, Kamal said, adding that the immediate priority was to support the parents and return the infants’ bodies to them.

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