At least 15 infants killed in Islamabad hospital fire
There were 16 newborns in the ward when the fire broke out, one of whom was rescued
At least 15 infants were killed when a fire broke out at a state-run hospital in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, triggered by a fault in the air conditioning system.
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The blaze started around 7am at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), on the third floor of the hospital's mother and child health ward, the broadcaster Geo TV said.
According to reports, the fire broke out after the compressor of an air-conditioning unit exploded inside the nursery.
There were 16 newborns in the ward when the fire broke out, one of whom was rescued, Geo reported.
An investigation has been ordered by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who said: "A tragedy involving children is an irreparable loss."
The prime minister's office demanded that "those responsible should be identified, and the strictest action should be taken".
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PIMS, centrally located in Islamabad where former Prime Minister Imran Khan was briefly treated last week, is one of the main public hospitals of the city.
The ward was cordoned off and ambulances were seen outside the hospital building, according to a Reuters witness.
The blaze was brought under control by firefighters, who carried out cooling operations at the site, according to local media.
Relatives of some of the fire’s victims were seen gathering outside the hospital, many in tears.
After the heartbreaking news of the incident broke, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari offered his "heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families".
In a post on X, he wrote: "The responsible parties in the incident should be identified and action taken in accordance with the law."
"Effective fire safety and emergency arrangements should be ensured for the protection of patients in hospitals, especially newborn babies."
The incident is one of the deadliest hospital fires in Pakistan in recent years. In January, a fire broke out at a shopping centre in Karachi, killing 67 people.
In August 2021, a chemical factory fire killed at least 16 people in the same city.
Although healthcare is subsidised by the Pakistani government, many facilities remain under-resourced and overwhelmed.
Several state-run facilities have been accused of being mismanaged by healthcare watchdogs.