Fourteen newborns died early Wednesday after a fire broke out in a nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. According to hospital officials and the federal government, the nursery was housing at least 15 infants when the blaze began. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed the death toll, while officials noted that at least one baby was successfully rescued from the ward.
The fire started at approximately 6:45 a.m. in the nursery located within the hospital's gynecology ward. Rescue officials reported that the blaze was triggered by the explosion of an air-conditioning unit compressor. Firefighters responded to the scene and extinguished the fire, followed by cooling operations conducted by rescue teams. Islamabad Chief Commissioner Suhail Ashraf stated that authorities are currently coordinating with the families of the victims.
In response to the incident, the Islamabad district magistrate established a multiagency fact-finding committee to investigate the event. The committee has been directed to submit a report within 24 hours detailing the cause of the fire, the adequacy of fire-safety measures at the facility, and the effectiveness of the emergency response. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari both issued statements calling for accountability and a thorough investigation into the tragedy.
On a broader scale, the fire raises questions about infrastructure safety at major government-run health institutions. The scale of the event involves a 24-hour government inquiry into a facility that recently served high-profile roles, such as the medical examination of a former prime minister. Residents who rely on public health services may see changes in hospital operations as President Zardari has urged all hospitals to review and ensure effective fire-safety measures and emergency procedures, particularly in specialized neonatal units.
The knock-on effects include a heightened focus on the maintenance of electrical and cooling systems in public buildings across the country. The investigation's findings, due within a day of the fire, will determine whether legal action will be taken against specific individuals or if broader policy changes regarding hospital safety inspections will be mandated. As of Wednesday, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal was traveling to the capital to oversee the investigation personally while local police remained deployed at the hospital site to maintain order.
What happens next: The fact-finding committee is scheduled to deliver its formal report by Thursday morning. Federal health officials, including the director-general of health and the federal health secretary, remain on-site at PIMS to manage the immediate aftermath. Authorities have not yet specified when new safety regulations or specific disciplinary actions might be announced, pending the results of the 24-hour inquiry.