15 Newborns Die in Fire at PIMS Nursery in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: At least 15 newborn babies died on Wednesday after a fire erupted in a nursery attached to the gynaecology ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, turning an emergency at one of the capital's major public hospitals into a major national tragedy. PIMS officials said 16 newborns were inside the nursery when the incident occurred and that only one infant was rescued.
Rescue officials said the blaze began after an air-conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery. Emergency teams were dispatched to the hospital and succeeded in extinguishing the fire, after which cooling operations continued to ensure that the affected area was safe. The initial reports did not provide a detailed technical assessment of why the compressor failed or whether other electrical or fire-safety systems were affected.
The reported casualty figure changed as information emerged from the hospital. Early reports put the number of newborn deaths at at least 14, while subsequent information from PIMS officials raised the toll to 15. The rapidly developing situation placed the incident at the top of Pakistan's breaking-news cycle as authorities and hospital personnel continued assessing the aftermath.
PIMS is a major public-sector healthcare institution serving Islamabad and patients referred from surrounding regions. According to information published by the hospital, its neonatology services operate through the Children's Hospital and the Maternal and Child Health Centre, providing specialised care for newborns. The hospital's official information states that its maternal and child health neonatal unit handles a large volume of deliveries and newborn care, underscoring the importance of uninterrupted safety systems in such facilities.
The fire has occurred amid broader concerns about pressures facing the federal capital's public hospitals. A day earlier, ARY News reported, citing federal Health Ministry documents presented in parliament, that PIMS had hundreds of vacant medical, nursing and paramedical positions. Those staffing figures have not been linked to Wednesday's fire, and there is currently no verified evidence that personnel shortages contributed to the blaze or the casualty toll.
The loss of newborns is expected to intensify scrutiny of fire prevention, equipment maintenance and emergency evacuation arrangements in hospital nurseries and neonatal units. Such wards present particular emergency challenges because newborn patients depend entirely on medical personnel and specialised equipment for evacuation and continued care. Establishing the exact sequence of events will therefore be critical to determining how the fire spread and why so many infants could not be saved.
Rescue personnel were continuing cooling operations after extinguishing the blaze, while the report remained a developing story. The first verified accounts did not include detailed findings from a technical investigation or confirmation of a formal accountability inquiry. Further information from PIMS management, federal health authorities and emergency services is expected to clarify the cause, the hospital's emergency response and any measures ordered to prevent a similar incident.