At least 14 newborn babies died Wednesday morning after a fire tore through a maternity ward at one of Pakistan’s largest hospitals, according to international reports. The blaze broke out around 6:45 a.m. local time at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, a major government-run facility, after an air conditioning unit exploded inside the ward.
Fifteen newborns were reportedly in the ward at the time, and 14 have been confirmed dead. Their remains now require DNA testing for identification, a grim indication of the fire’s intensity. One baby was rescued, a hospital spokesperson told the BBC, and 19 other individuals—ten women, seven children, and two men—were also pulled from the building. Firefighters eventually contained the blaze.
Cause and Conditions
Pakistani Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told Geo News that a short circuit triggered the fire, which then spread rapidly through gas lines, plastic equipment, and was accelerated by oxygen supply connections. The minister said the babies died from suffocation, not burns, as smoke and toxic fumes filled the ward.
Rescue workers at the scene expressed alarm at the hospital’s fire safety arrangements, describing them as “extremely inadequate.” According to reports, firefighters found no water at the fire point and a fire hose with missing couplings, hampering early response efforts. The exact circumstances of the explosion and subsequent fire remain under investigation, with a fact-finding committee tasked to produce initial findings within 24 hours.
Locked Doors, Stolen Babies, and Safety Gaps
The hospital’s executive director, Rana Imran Sikander, told the BBC that the maternity ward’s doors were not locked but “manned.” He explained that the measure was intended to protect babies from being stolen from the ward, a problem that has occurred before at government hospitals. The comment has raised questions about whether that security protocol inadvertently trapped infants and staff inside the burning ward, though authorities have not yet confirmed how the fire spread so quickly.
One mother, Jaweria, was photographed reacting in grief after losing her child in the fire, according to an AFP image caption. The emotional toll on families was immediate, as parents rushed to the hospital to learn the fate of their newborns.
Government Response
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a statement expressing condolences and ordering an immediate investigation. The statement said the prime minister believes “such a situation with children is irreparable” and called for “a detailed review of the causes of the incident.” It added, “Those responsible should be identified, and the strictest action should be taken.” The prime minister’s office said he is “heartbroken” and “shares equally in the parents’ grief,” praying for patience for the bereaved families.
The tragedy has reignited concerns over safety standards in Pakistan’s public hospitals, which have faced recurring incidents of fire and other emergencies due to aging infrastructure and lax maintenance. The PIMS fire is among the deadliest hospital blazes in the country’s history, and the deaths of so many newborns—victims who had no chance to escape—has prompted an outpouring of grief and anger across Pakistan. As the fact-finding committee begins its work, many are demanding answers not just about what sparked the fire, but why the hospital’s fire safety systems were so woefully unprepared.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/08/26/pakistan-islamabad-hospital-fire-kills-14-newborn-babies/