Pakistan: Islamabad hospital fire kills at least 14 infants

A least 14 infants tragically lost their lives after a fire erupted at the maternity ward of a hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, where an explosion was reported to have occurred inside the nursery when an air conditioning unit malfunctioned. Sixteen newborns were present in the ward at the time, with only one infant miraculously rescued.

As families gathered outside the hospital, a nurse recited the names of the babies who had perished, their loved ones mourning the loss of their little ones. One father, speaking to the AFP news agency, expressed his anguish, stating, "My wife was in the ward. They took everyone out. We were sitting on the road waiting for help."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif swiftly ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, emphasizing the irreparable nature of such a tragedy involving children. He vowed that those responsible would be identified and held accountable for their actions.

The tragedy is one of the deadliest hospital fires in recent memory in Pakistan, where healthcare services are subsidized, yet public hospitals are frequently under-resourced and overburdened. A Pakistani journalist, Kiran Butt, suggested that the explosion may have been caused by an air conditioning unit in a section of the hospital currently under construction. However, conflicting reports still needed to be clarified.

One woman, who had recently undergone a cesarean section just two days prior, shared her confusion and distress over the lack of information provided by authorities regarding her baby's whereabouts. She struggled to obtain updates on her situation as well as others in similar circumstances. Additionally, questions remained about the delayed response of rescue services to reach the hospital in time.