A fire tore through the maternity ward of a major public hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday, killing at least 15 newborns.
The blaze broke out at around 6:45 a.m. inside the nursery on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), one of Islamabad's largest public hospitals, according to Geo News.
The broadcaster reported that the fire was triggered by an explosion in an air-conditioner compressor inside the nursery, which housed 16 infants at the time.
District administration officials told Geo News that 15 newborns were completely charred in the fire, while only one baby could be rescued alive.
The hospital's MCH unit has 156 beds, according to its website.
Firefighters were seen in videos of the rescue operation entering the nursery by breaking window glass to reach the third-floor ward.
#Breaking
— ⚡️???? World News ????⚡️ (@ferozwala) August 26, 2026
????At least 14 infants killed in hospital fire in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad
????In an incident of fire at #PIMS Hospital in Islamabad, 14 children lost their lives after a blaze broke out in the nursery. #Islamabad #Pakistan
▪️Rescue teams arrived at the scene. It… pic.twitter.com/BSmZMcq3fw
Rescue teams, including six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances, were dispatched to the site soon after the emergency call was made, the district administration said. Islamabad's chief commissioner said rescue personnel and officials brought the fire under control, with cooling operations continuing at the site afterward.
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An inquiry committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the additional deputy commissioner to investigate the incident, the district administration said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed "deep sorrow and heartfelt regret" over the incident, according to a statement from his office, and directed authorities to "conduct an immediate investigation."
"Such a situation with children is irreparable," the statement said. Sharif offered his "heartfelt condolences to the families of the innocent children," adding that "his heart is saddened by this tragic incident."
PIMS, established in 1985, is among the oldest and largest public healthcare facilities in the Pakistani capital, and is also the hospital where former prime minister Imran Khan was taken for a medical examination following a court-mandated health checkup.
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