A catastrophic fire at a major hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, has claimed the lives of at least 14 newborn babies, sparking national grief and outrage. The blaze broke out early Wednesday on the third floor of the mother‑and‑child unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), one of the city’s largest state‑run hospitals.
Hospital officials said an air conditioning unit caught fire, rapidly engulfing the neonatal ward where 15 babies were being treated. Only one infant survived. Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior confirmed that seven other babies, two men and 10 mothers were rescued from nearby areas of the hospital.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told Geo News that the newborns were either in incubators or connected to oxygen equipment. While oxygen itself is not flammable, it can intensify a blaze, causing materials to burn faster and hotter a factor believed to have worsened the fire.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended Federal Secretary of Health Aslam Ghauri, expressing “deep anger” at officials during a high‑level emergency meeting. The government has vowed a full investigation into the tragedy.
Families described harrowing scenes as they searched for their babies. Some identified their children by wristbands; others recognised them by age. Several infants were only three hours old.
Eyewitnesses reported chaos, thick smoke and shattered glass and many accused rescue teams of arriving far too late. Khurram Mehmood, whose three‑day‑old daughter died, told AFP that families waited “hours” for help. Another witness, Abdul Ghafoor, said the fire spread “very quickly” and that he tried to enter the building but was forced back by dense black smoke. “Patients were trapped… rescue teams arrived after almost two hours,” he said.
The arrested man is yet to be interviewed by police.
The tragedy has shaken Pakistan, raising urgent questions about hospital safety standards, emergency preparedness and accountability in public health institutions.
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