ISLAMABAD: Fourteen newborn babies were killed when a fire broke out in the nursery ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad early Wednesday, hospital officials said.
PIMS hospital chief Professor Imran Sikandar confirmed the deaths. He said only one baby was rescued. The fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Ward at PIMS Hospital.
He added that an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the fire. The exact cause has not yet been established.
Rescue 1122 and fire brigade teams reached the hospital soon after the fire was reported. They brought the blaze under control and began cooling operations in the affected ward.
Initial reports pointed to either a short circuit or an air-conditioner compressor explosion as the possible cause.
However, the preliminary accounts differed on both the timing and cause of the fire. Rescue sources said the fire broke out at around 6:45 a.m., while other officials put the time at about 7 a.m.
Similarly, hospital sources initially said an air-conditioner compressor in the ward had exploded. Meanwhile, preliminary administrative reports pointed to a short circuit.
According to hospital sources, thick smoke quickly filled the nursery after the fire erupted. Panic spread across the ward as staff tried to respond.
A female doctor on duty managed to carry one baby to safety. However, the other newborns could not be evacuated in time, the sources said.
Rescue officials initially reported four deaths. The death toll later rose to 14, according to hospital sources.
The Inspector General of Islamabad also reached the hospital after the incident. Officials were collecting information about the fire and its circumstances.
PIMS is one of Islamabad’s largest public hospitals and treats thousands of patients every day, including newborn babies.
Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident. They have yet to determine the final cause of the fire.
The tragedy has also raised questions about fire safety and emergency response systems at the hospital.
