At least 14 newborns killed in Pakistan hospital nursery fire

At least 14 newborn babies have been killed after a fire broke out in the nursery of a government-run hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, according to officials.

The blaze started shortly before 07:00am local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday on the third floor of the Mother and Child Centre at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital.

Local broadcaster Geo TV put the death toll at 15, and said one infant was rescued from the ward before firefighters managed to extinguish the flames.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered his condolences to the bereaved families and ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. He promised that those responsible would face the “strictest action”.

Initial reports from officials indicate the fire was likely caused by a short circuit in a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.

Building fires are a frequent occurrence in Pakistan, where safety regulations and building codes are routinely ignored or poorly enforced. In January, at least 65 people died when a massive fire swept through a crowded shopping complex in the southern port city of Karachi.

Wednesday’s blaze is one of the deadliest hospital fires in Pakistan’s history. While the government provides subsidised medical treatment through public hospitals, the state sector remains severely underfunded, mismanaged, and overcrowded.