Fire at Pakistan hospital maternity ward kills 14 children

A fire broke out in the maternity ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad on Wednesday, resulting in the tragic loss of 14 young lives, according to the Islamabad district office. The flames ignited on the third floor of the mother and child health ward within the public hospital. However, the statement did not provide the ages of the deceased children or the cause of the fire.

Islambad's chief commissioner, Sohail Ashraf, reported that rescue teams, medical specialists, and law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene promptly upon receiving the emergency call around 7:00 AM local time. He confirmed that the fire was swiftly controlled by the rescue efforts.

It is noteworthy that fires in large buildings are not uncommon in Pakistan, often stemming from insufficient safety regulations, outdated building codes, and ineffective enforcement mechanisms. In January, a shopping center blaze in the port city of Karachi claimed over 65 lives, while another similar incident in the same city in 2023 resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals.

In 2021, a factory fire in Karachi claimed the lives of at least 16 workers, and in 2012, a garment factory fire in Karachi's Baldia Town resulted in the deaths of at least 250 laborers, many of whom were trapped due to the absence of a fire escape.