14 Newborns Die in Fire at Pakistani Public Hospital Obstetrics Ward

Fourteen newborns have died in a fire at a public hospital in Pakistan, which is believed to have been caused by a faulty air conditioning system.

According to the Associated Press and Pakistani media outlet Geo News on the 26th (local time), a fire broke out at around 6:45 a.m. that day in a building at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a public hospital located in the capital city of Islamabad.

Out of 15 newborns in the obstetrics ward, 14 died in the blaze, while only one was rescued by medical staff.

As the fire broke out on the third floor of the obstetrics ward, six fire engines and four ambulances were immediately dispatched to the scene.

A source from the rescue authorities told Geo News that the fire started after an air conditioning system exploded inside the neonatal intensive care unit.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences to the victims and ordered relevant authorities to conduct an immediate investigation.

In a statement, he said, "This tragedy involving children is irreversible," adding, "Those responsible must be identified and subjected to the strictest action."

Grieving families who lost their children wailed in front of police barricades set up near the hospital entrance.

Pakistan frequently faces criticism for lacking medical facilities and suffering from poor management even within its public healthcare infrastructure.

The PIMS hospital is the facility where former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, 73, whose eyesight deteriorated while imprisoned on corruption and other charges, recently received medical treatment following a Supreme Court order.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.