At least 15 newborns were killed after a fire broke out at a state-run hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on Wednesday, local broadcaster Geo TV reported, in one of the deadliest hospital fires in the country in recent years. The Islamabad administration, however, put the confirmed death toll at 14.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended Federal Secretary of Health, Aslam Ghauri, who is a top official in the health department, Pakistan’s information ministry said. It added that a high-level meeting on the hospital fire is being chaired by Sharif, who has expressed “deep anger” at some officials, BBC reported.
The report quoted Islamabad chief commissioner Sohail Ashraf saying that the fire was brought under control after rescue and police teams reached the scene “immediately” as and when the emergency call was first made.
The blaze started around 7 am at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), on the third floor of the hospital’s mother and child health ward, according to Geo TV. Reuters, citing the broadcaster, reported that the fire was triggered by a fault in the air-conditioning system.
There were 16 newborns in the ward when the fire broke out, Geo TV reported, with one baby rescued. A PIMS spokesperson, however, told Dawn that 15 babies were in the ward and that at least one was saved by a doctor.
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Fire in Islamabad Hospital Nursery Claims Lives of 14 Infants
A fire broke out early Wednesday morning in the neonatal unit of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, caused by a malfunction in an air-conditioning unit, killing 14 infants out of… pic.twitter.com/f9qdlEIzpP
The precise cause of the fire was not immediately established. Rescue sources cited by local media said an air-conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery, while PIMS spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil told Dawn that the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit. An inquiry has been ordered to establish what caused the blaze.
The fire was quickly brought under control, while cooling operations continued. The Islamabad administration said six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances were deployed during the rescue operation. The affected ward was later cordoned off.
The incident is among the deadliest hospital fires in Pakistan in recent years. The tragedy has also drawn attention to longstanding concerns about the country’s public healthcare system, where government hospitals are subsidised but often operate under pressure from limited resources and overcrowding. Reuters noted that watchdogs have frequently criticised state-run facilities for mismanagement.
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Shehbaz Sharif expresses ‘deep sorrow’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “deep sorrow and heartfelt regret” over the deaths and ordered an immediate investigation. His office said those responsible should be identified and that the “strictest action” should be taken.
The Islamabad administration has formed an inquiry committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner general to investigate the fire and determine its cause. The committee will also examine how the incident occurred.
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