Fourteen infants die in Islamabad hospital maternity ward fire

A fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences’ maternity ward in Islamabad on August 26 killed 14 infants, authorities said, prompting calls for a full investigation.

What happened

The Islamabad district office said the blaze erupted on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Ward at the public Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The statement gave a death toll of 14, whom Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said were all infants.

Official response

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued separate statements expressing “deep grief and sorrow over the deaths of 14 infants.” The prime minister said the situation was “irreparable” and called for a thorough review to identify those responsible and for “the strictest possible action” to be taken.

“Such a situation involving children is irreparable,”

“The circumstances that led to the incident should be thoroughly reviewed, those responsible should be identified, and the strictest possible action should be taken.”

Emergency response and investigation

Islamabad chief commissioner Sohail Ashraf said the emergency call came just before 7:00am. He said rescue and police teams reached the scene “immediately” and brought the fire under control. Authorities have not identified the cause of the fire.

An AFP reporter at the hospital saw a woman in tears and a man clearing glass from two broken windows as security guards stood at the entrance to the facility.

Wider context

The report notes that fires in large buildings are frequent in Pakistan, often linked to poor safety laws, building codes and lax enforcement. It highlighted previous deadly fires in Karachi and elsewhere as part of a pattern of deadly blaze incidents.

Previous incidents cited

• In January, a shopping centre fire in Karachi killed more than 65 people.
• A 2023 shopping mall fire in Karachi killed at least 11 people.
• A 2021 factory fire in Karachi killed at least 16 workers.
• In 2012, a garment factory blaze in Baldia Town killed at least 250 labourers; the building had no fire escape.