Hospital nursery fire kills 14 newborns in Pakistan’s capital while 1 baby is rescued

A fire at a major government hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, tragically claimed the lives of 14 newborns in the nursery on Wednesday morning, with one baby miraculously rescued. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences' nursery on the third floor suffered the devastating blaze, believed to have been ignited by an explosion in the air-conditioning unit compressor.

Hospital and rescue officials confirmed that the nursery housed at least 15 newborns, but the fire was limited to that specific area, leaving the rest of the hospital unscathed. Dr. Aneeza Jalil, a spokesperson for the hospital, stated that one baby was rescued by a doctor, and six bodies have been handed over to their families.

The remaining deceased infants' remains will be released shortly. The nation, already reeling from this tragic loss, has launched an immediate investigation to determine the cause of the fire, assess firefighting equipment adequacy, and evaluate emergency response measures. The deaths of these infants have shocked Pakistan, prompting the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to remove Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri from his position.