Islamabad, 26 August (Brussels Morning Newspaper) ā Ā Fourteen newborn babies have died in a Pakistan hospital fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), as witnesses and grieving relatives alleged that doors were locked while flames and thick smoke spread through the maternity unit.
The fire broke out early on Wednesday in the nursery on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Ward at the government-run hospital in Islamabad. Officials said at least 15 newborns were inside the nursery, with one baby rescued alive.
Locked doors come under scrutiny after nursery blaze
Witnesses and relatives raised questions about access to the neonatal unit and emergency exits following the disaster.
Several people told reporters that doors or exits were locked or blocked. Abdul Ghaffoor, who was at the hospital, said he had heard that doors were routinely secured because the maternity ward restricted male access and because of previous concerns about babies being stolen. PIMS officials gave a similar explanation for restricted access.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal later said a secondary door was controlled by a guard around the clock rather than simply being left locked. The circumstances surrounding the exits are now part of the investigation.
Air-conditioning fault suspected in deadly fire
Officials initially linked the blaze to an electrical fault involving an air-conditioning unit.
Mr Kamal said oxygen lines in the nursery helped the flames spread rapidly. He also acknowledged that the facility did not have a sprinkler system. According to CCTV evidence described by the minister, the room was engulfed in flames within about a minute.
Rescue workers faced severe smoke and difficult access. Emergency crews were filmed using ladders and entering through broken windows as they attempted to reach the affected ward.
Government orders investigation into Islamabad tragedy
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a high-level investigation into the Pakistan hospital fire and suspended federal health secretary Aslam Ghaury as authorities began examining the cause, emergency response and fire-safety arrangements.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed condolences and called for accountability and stronger safety measures at hospitals following the deaths.
The inquiry will have to reconcile claims from relatives and witnesses with accounts from hospital management and government officials, particularly over staffing, emergency exits and the speed of the rescue operation.
Previous hospital fires raise safety concerns
The Islamabad disaster follows another deadly hospital fire in Pakistan. In June 2024, a fire at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital in Punjab killed 11 babies. An inquiry into that incident subsequently identified safety failures, including expired fire extinguishers.
The latest deaths have renewed scrutiny of fire prevention and emergency preparedness at public healthcare facilities, particularly wards treating newborns who cannot be evacuated without specialist assistance.
Inquiry to examine safety and emergency response
Investigators are expected to examine CCTV footage, damaged equipment, the suspected electrical fault and arrangements surrounding the nurseryās doors and emergency exits.
The Pakistan hospital fire investigation will also assess whether safety procedures and the emergency response contributed to the loss of life. Officials have preserved evidence from the ward while bereaved families continue to demand clear answers about how 14 newborns died inside one of the capitalās leading public hospitals.
