Tragic Fire in Islamabad Hospital Claims Lives of Newborns

A tragic incident occurred at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad, leading to the loss of fourteen newborns’ lives. The fire broke out in the nursery located on the third floor of the city’s largest hospital early Wednesday morning.

According to reports from the Islamabad district administration, the fire started around 7 a.m. on the third floor of the maternity ward. Quick response teams were deployed, consisting of six fire engines and four ambulances to tackle the situation.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, representing Islamabad, indicated that at the time of the fire, the ward housed 15 babies, four hospital employees, and several mothers. Fortunately, one newborn was rescued by medical staff.

Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal commented that the fire was initiated by an air conditioning unit explosion and escalated due to the presence of oxygen cylinders.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an immediate investigation to determine accountability. His statement emphasized the importance of identifying those responsible and enacting stringent actions.

Pakistan faces challenges in health care funding, ranking low in South Asia as per the World Bank data. The largest doctors’ association in Pakistan previously warned of systemic collapse in health care infrastructure due to inadequate support.

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, widely referred to as PIMS, accommodates over 150 beds in its maternity ward. Recently, Imran Khan, the former prime minister, visited the hospital for a brief checkup.

This fire is the latest in a series of incidents involving children. In June, another tragedy struck when 14 children died following the collapse of a tutoring center rooftop near Lahore, Punjab Province.

The report also includes contributions from Zia ur-Rehman and Salman Masood, with Elian Peltier, The Times’s bureau chief for Pakistan and Afghanistan, based in Islamabad.