A devastating fire occurred at a nursery in Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, resulting in the death of 14 newborns. This tragedy unfolded in the capital’s major government hospital, where the nursery housed 15 infants at the time of the incident. Hospital officials reported that at least one newborn was rescued from the scene.
Rescue personnel pinpointed the origin of the blaze to approximately 6:45 a.m., suspecting the compressor of an air-conditioning unit exploded within the nursery. This facility is part of the hospital’s gynecology ward. A poignant photograph captures a mother grieving the loss of her child outside the Mother and Child Health ward at the hospital. Aamir QURESHI / AFP via Getty Images
Firefighters arrived promptly to extinguish the fire, while rescue teams conducted cooling operations as reported by local media. The hospital spokesperson was unavailable for comments sought by The Associated Press.
Security personnel remained vigilant, overseeing the aftermath at the Mother and Child Health ward. The tragic incident led to a statement by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where he extended his condolences and initiated an immediate investigation. His office confirmed the fatalities and emphasized, “A tragedy involving children is an irreparable loss.” The Prime Minister further stated, “The circumstances that led to the incident should be thoroughly reviewed, those responsible should be identified, and the strictest possible action should be taken,” as reported by AFP.