26-08-2026
A fire in the mother-and-child unit at Pakistan’s Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad killed 14 newborn babies shortly after dawn on Wednesday. The blaze reportedly began in an air-conditioning unit on the third floor, where 15 infants were present; only one survived. Parents and witnesses described confusion, delays and major safety failures as smoke filled the maternity ward. Hivsa Walid said she and her sister-in-law escaped with a newborn baby, abandoning their belongings and running downstairs as the fire spread. Other relatives said they waited for hours for help and that rescue teams arrived too late. Several witnesses claimed the ward door was locked, that staff were absent and that people had to break doors or smash windows to reach those trapped inside. One father said the building lacked fire security and proper exits, with some doors kept locked to restrict visits and prevent possible baby theft. The hospital’s executive director, Rana Imran Sikander, disputed the claim that the door was locked, saying it was manned to protect infants from being stolen, a problem previously reported at government hospitals. Islamabad’s chief commissioner also said rescue teams arrived immediately after the emergency call, contradicting some witness accounts that responders took nearly two hours. The tragedy has renewed concerns about Pakistan’s weak fire-safety enforcement, poor building codes and locked exits, which have been blamed for other deadly fires. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow, ordered an immediate investigation and suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri. The article presents testimony from survivors and officials while examining whether inadequate safety procedures and a delayed emergency response contributed to the deaths.
Entities: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, Pakistan, PIMS mother and child unit, Hivsa Walid, Khurram Mehmood • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
26-08-2026
A fire broke out early Wednesday in a newborn nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a major government hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing 14 infants. Hospital officials said at least 15 newborns were in the nursery when the blaze began, and one baby was rescued. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed the death toll. Rescue officials said an air-conditioning unit compressor exploded at about 6:45 a.m. inside the nursery in the gynecology ward, starting the fire.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, while rescue teams carried out cooling operations. The Islamabad district magistrate appointed a multiagency fact-finding committee and ordered it to submit a report within 24 hours. The investigation will examine the cause and spread of the fire, whether adequate fire-safety measures were in place, and how authorities responded to the emergency.
The deaths prompted expressions of grief from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and President Asif Ali Zardari. Sharif ordered an immediate investigation, while Zardari called for anyone responsible to be identified and dealt with under the law. He also urged hospitals to strengthen fire-safety measures and emergency procedures, especially in areas caring for newborns.
Families gathered at the hospital as police secured the area. Relatives wept, demanded answers and questioned whether the nursery had sufficient firefighting equipment. Amir Abbasi said his newborn nephew had died, while other parents described the anguish of losing children who had been born only days earlier. One grieving woman called for justice outside the hospital.
Kamal said he was traveling from Karachi to Islamabad to oversee the investigation. Senior health officials were already at PIMS, and the government said its immediate priorities were supporting the families and releasing the infants’ bodies after the required paperwork was completed.
Entities: Islamabad, Pakistan, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward, Nursery fire and explosion, Deaths of 14 newborns • Tone: emotional • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
26-08-2026
At least 14 newborns died in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, a major government hospital in Islamabad, while one infant was rescued, according to hospital officials. The fire broke out at approximately 6:45 a.m. in the nursery of the hospital’s gynecology ward. Hospital and rescue officials said an air-conditioning unit compressor exploded, apparently triggering the blaze. The fire was contained to the nursery and did not spread to other hospital wards.
Hospital spokesperson Dr. Aneeza Jalil said a doctor rescued one baby. Six of the deceased infants’ bodies had been released to their families, while officials were preparing to hand over the remaining bodies. Images and video from the scene showed grieving relatives, damaged windows and authorities securing the area. One mother, identified by The Associated Press as Mrs. Mohammad Sami, said she had lost her child only three days after giving birth and did not know whom to blame.
The tragedy prompted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to remove Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri, the country’s highest civil servant, from office. Sharif also ordered an immediate investigation and convened a high-level meeting, where he reportedly expressed anger at officials over the incident. He described the deaths as an “irreparable loss.”
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari offered condolences to the families and similarly called the deaths a “heartbreaking and irreparable loss.” The report does not provide further details about the investigation, the specific condition of the rescued infant or whether any other people were injured.
Entities: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan, Nursery fire, 14 newborn deaths, Air-conditioning compressor explosion • Tone: emotional • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
26-08-2026
A fire caused by an exploding air conditioner killed 14 newborns in a nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad on Wednesday, according to Pakistani officials. Fifteen infants were in the nursery when the fire began; one baby was rescued by a doctor. The blaze was confined to the nursery, and officials said no other patients or staff were injured.
Television footage showed rescue workers using ladders to enter the third-floor nursery through broken windows. Parents and relatives gathered at the hospital, grieving and demanding answers about the cause of the fire and whether the nursery had adequate firefighting equipment. One mother, who said her newborn had been receiving intensive care, described the loss of her child as devastating.
The government has launched an investigation. Islamabad’s district magistrate appointed a fact-finding committee and gave it 24 hours to determine how the fire started and spread, whether fire-safety measures were adequate, and how emergency responders handled the incident. Islamabad Chief Commissioner Suhail Ashraf said the fire was later extinguished.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the removal of Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri, the Health Ministry’s highest civil servant. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said he was traveling to Islamabad to oversee the investigation. Hospital spokesperson Dr. Aneeza Jalil said six babies’ bodies had been handed over to their families and that the remaining bodies would be released soon.
Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and President Asif Ali Zardari expressed condolences and called for accountability and improved fire-safety procedures in hospitals. The report described the incident as one of Pakistan’s deadliest recent tragedies involving children, recalling the deaths of 14 schoolchildren in a June tutoring-center collapse in Lahore.
Entities: Islamabad hospital nursery fire, Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Exploding air conditioner • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
26-08-2026
A fire broke out early Wednesday in a newborn nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, a major government hospital in Islamabad, killing 14 babies. Hospital officials said at least 15 newborns were in the nursery when the blaze began, and one infant was rescued. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed the death toll. Rescue officials said the fire started around 6:45 a.m. after an air-conditioning compressor exploded inside the nursery in the hospital’s gynecology ward. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, while rescue teams carried out cooling operations at the site.
Authorities quickly ordered an investigation. Islamabad’s district magistrate appointed a multiagency fact-finding committee and instructed it to submit a report within 24 hours. The committee will examine the fire’s cause and spread, determine whether adequate fire-safety measures were available, and assess the emergency response. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed condolences. Sharif ordered an immediate investigation, while Zardari called for anyone responsible to be identified and prosecuted under the law. He also urged hospitals to improve fire-safety systems and emergency procedures, especially in newborn wards.
The deaths caused widespread shock and grief. Police were deployed as parents and relatives gathered at the hospital, with some demanding answers about the nursery’s firefighting equipment and safety measures. Mohammad Sami, whose baby had been receiving intensive care after she gave birth three days earlier, described her grief and uncertainty. Officials said the infants’ bodies would be released after the required paperwork. Kamal said he was traveling to Islamabad to oversee the inquiry and that supporting families and returning the bodies were immediate priorities.
Entities: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, Pakistan, Pakistan, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
26-08-2026
A fire broke out early Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in a nursery for newborns at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a major government hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. Hospital officials and the government said 14 babies died in the blaze. At least 15 newborns were reportedly in the nursery when the fire started, and at least one baby was rescued.
Rescue officials said the fire began at approximately 6:45 a.m. and apparently started when the compressor of an air-conditioning unit exploded inside the nursery. The room is part of the hospital’s gynecology ward. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, while rescue teams continued cooling operations at the fire-damaged site.
The deaths prompted grief among parents and an official response from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. His office confirmed that 14 newborns had died, and Sharif expressed sorrow while ordering an immediate investigation into the incident. He described the deaths as “an irreparable loss.”
Images from the scene showed emergency crews working inside the damaged ward, police moving a child’s coffin into an ambulance, and parents mourning their children. The article said a hospital spokesperson did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment. The report attributes the death toll and initial details to hospital officials, government authorities, rescue officials, and local media reports. It does not provide further information about the investigation, the condition of the rescued baby, or whether any other people were injured.
Entities: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan government, Hospital nursery • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
26-08-2026
The article reports that 15 newborns died after a fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday. According to PIMS officials, 16 newborns were being housed in the ward’s nursery when the blaze began, and only one baby was rescued. Local outlet Geo News cited officials and rescue sources in its reporting of the incident.
Rescue officials said the fire reportedly began after an air-conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery. The blaze broke out at approximately 7 a.m. in the hospital, which is located in Pakistan’s federal capital. Emergency teams were sent to the scene to extinguish the fire, evacuate people from the ward, and conduct cooling operations after the flames were brought under control.
The report does not provide details about possible injuries to hospital staff or other patients, the extent of damage to the facility, or whether authorities have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the compressor failure. It also does not identify the rescued infant’s condition.
The deaths have raised concerns about fire-prevention systems and emergency preparedness in neonatal and maternity units at the hospital. Because the incident involved newborns in a nursery, it highlights the particular vulnerability of patients who require continuous medical care and cannot evacuate independently. The article presents the incident as an early account based on statements from PIMS officials and rescue personnel, while emphasizing the scale of the loss and the emergency response at the hospital.
Entities: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, Pakistan, PIMS gynaecology ward, Neonatal nursery • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
