{
  "id": 3508509,
  "title": "Pakistani PM suspends top health official after 14 newborn babies killed in hospital fire",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/pakistani-pm-suspends-top-health-official-after-14-newborn-babies",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-26T12:39:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "GBC Ghana",
    "slug": "gbc-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/world/pakistani-pm-suspends-top-health-official-after-14-newborn-babies-killed-in-hospital-fire/2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fifteen babies tragically died after a fire broke out at a maternity ward in Islamabad, Pakistan. The hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), is one of the largest state-run hospitals in the country. The fire began on Wednesday morning and swiftly spread to the maternity ward, killing 14 out of the 15 infants present. Seven infants, two men, and 10 mothers were rescued. The hospital's executive director claimed that the maternity ward door was unlocked and staffed, aiming to prevent baby theft. The identities of the deceased babies were confirmed through wristbands and age identification, with some families recognizing their infants immediately. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has 156 beds in its maternal and child health unit. In response to the tragedy, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the cause and safety measures in place before the incident, with a report due within 24 hours. The fire prompted calls for improved safety measures at hospitals, with senior senators stressing the urgent need to modernize safety systems. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suspended Federal Secretary of Health Aslam Ghauri in light of the fire. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes, with rescuers reportedly slow to arrive, while witnesses claimed the fire spread rapidly.",
  "summary": "Fourteen newborn babies have died after a fire at a maternity ward in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. The fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital started on Wednesday morning. An air conditioning unit caught fire and was quickly ignited by oxygen connections, a spokesman for the hospital told the BBC. It killed 14 […]",
  "key_points": [
    "14 newborn babies killed in maternity ward fire at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences",
    "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suspends Federal Secretary of Health Aslam Ghauri",
    "Fact-finding committee formed to investigate cause and safety measures"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}