A fire in a maternity ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad has killed 14 newborn babies, according to hospital officials. The blaze broke out on the third floor of the mother and child unit, one of the main state-run hospitals in the city.
Rescue and response
Rescue teams attended the scene and brought the fire under control. Those injured in the incident have been taken to the intensive care unit (ICU). A hospital spokesperson told BBC News that one newborn out of the 15 babies who were in the ward at the time was rescued.
Parents of the infants who died have gathered outside the hospital in tears. A man also told the BBC that his three-day-old baby had died in the fire.
Government reaction
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the incident and has ordered an immediate inquiry. A committee has been tasked with producing a report within 24 hours, according to reports.
The fire at PIMS hospital, which serves as a major healthcare facility in the Pakistani capital, has raised urgent questions about safety protocols in medical institutions. The loss of 14 newborns in a single incident has prompted an outpouring of grief from families and officials alike.
As the inquiry proceeds, the hospital has yet to release further details about the cause of the fire or the condition of the surviving infant and other injured patients.
