At least 14 babies die in Pakistan hospital fire

A fire broke out on a hospital ward in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 newborn babies. The fire started on the third floor of the maternity unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, one of the nation's main state-run hospitals. An air conditioning unit caught fire, according to a hospital spokesperson.

Among the 15 babies in the ward at the time, one was rescued. The remaining babies were in incubators or on oxygen equipment. The Pakistan Health Minister expressed deep anger at officials involved in the incident and convened a high-level meeting on the matter. Eyewitnesses reported chaotic and harrowing scenes, with thick smoke and broken glass, and allegations of slow response times from rescuers.

The families of the deceased babies, who were severely burned, must undergo DNA tests to identify their loved ones before the bodies can be returned to them. The incident has triggered an immediate investigation by the government, with emergency responders rescuing 19 others, including 10 women, seven children, and two men.