At least 14 infants killed in Islamabad hospital fire
At least 14 infants were killed in a fire at a state-run hospital in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Wednesday, the prime minister said, with the health minister attributing the tragedy to a blast in the nursery ward. The incident is among the deadliest hospital fires in recent years in the country, where government healthcare is subsidised but facilities are under-resourced and overburdened.…
A fire erupted in the maternity and pediatric wards of Pakistan's largest public hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday morning, claiming the lives of at least 14 newborn infants, authorities confirmed. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) facility in the capital was the scene of the disaster, with the blaze igniting around 7 am on the third floor, according to the Islamabad administration.
The hospital's spokesperson, Dr. Aneeza Jalil, informed the news outlet Dawn that 15 infants were present in the ward at the time of the fire. She stated that one baby was rescued by a medical professional. A short circuit was suspected as the cause of the fire, which was swiftly brought under control by rescue teams, including six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances.
Health Minister Mustaf Kamal revealed that the fire rapidly spread due to oxygen lines in the ward. The hospital administration sought parental consent to conduct DNA tests on some unidentified infants. An inquiry committee has been formed, headed by the additional deputy commissioner general, to investigate the incident. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened a high-level meeting of the Islamabad administration to address the tragedy and ordered a thorough investigation.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the newborns, describing it as an "extremely heartbreaking and irreparable loss."
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Also reported by 1 other outlet
- 14 Infants Killed In Fire At Islamabad Hospital, Probe Ordered freepressjournal.in
