14 infants killed in Pakistan hospital fire

Fourteen infants have died after a fire swept through a maternity ward at Pakistan’s premier public hospital in Islamabad, triggering panic among patients and relatives.

The blaze broke out early Wednesday on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), according to Islamabad authorities.

Officials said an air-conditioning unit was suspected to have triggered the fire after an electrical fault.

The tragedy unfolded at the neonatal section of the hospital, where several newborn babies were being treated. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that all 14 victims were infants and ordered a full investigation into the incident.

Families of patients described scenes of confusion as thick black smoke filled parts of the facility.

Khurram Mehmood, whose three-day-old daughter died, said he was outside the hospital while his wife remained in the ward when the fire started.

“My wife was in the ward. They took everyone out. We were sitting on the road waiting for help,” he said.

Another witness, Jaweria, said the door to the neonatal intensive care unit was locked during the incident.

“I do not believe this. Give me my child back,” she said, questioning why the babies had been left behind.

Abdul Ghafoor, who attempted to enter the hospital to help patients, said the fire spread rapidly and the maternity section was engulfed in heavy smoke.

“There were babies as young as one day old,” he said, adding that people were trapped inside the building.

However, Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf said emergency services responded immediately after receiving an alert shortly before 7am local time. He said rescue workers and police arrived at the hospital and eventually brought the fire under control.

Some witnesses disputed the account, alleging delays in evacuation and claiming hospital security personnel initially prevented people from leaving.

One witness said occupants were forced to break through doors and windows to escape or reach trapped patients.

As the rescue operation continued, grieving relatives gathered outside the hospital. Nurses reportedly called out the names of babies who had died, while soot-covered patients emerged from the building.

Among them was Shagufta Parveen, who escaped with her 10-day-old baby.

“People were screaming. There was black smoke. We ran for our lives. Thank God my baby is safe,” she said.

PIMS spokesperson Aneeza Jalil said an electrical problem involving an air conditioner was responsible for the fire.

The deaths have prompted calls for accountability, with Prime Minister Sharif directing authorities to establish exactly what happened and identify anyone whose negligence contributed to the tragedy.

“The circumstances that led to the incident should be thoroughly reviewed, those responsible should be identified, and the strictest possible action should be taken,” Sharif said.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

The incident has renewed concerns about fire safety in Pakistan, where deadly building fires have repeatedly been linked to inadequate safety measures, poor enforcement of building regulations and electrical faults.

A number of fatal fires have occurred in Karachi in recent years, including a shopping-centre fire that killed more than 65 people in January, while previous incidents in the city have also claimed the lives of factory and garment workers.