14 Newborn Babies Killed in Islamabad Hospital Fire as Safety Questions Mount

Islamabad: Fourteen newborn babies have died after a devastating fire swept through the maternity and neonatal ward of Pakistan’s largest public hospital in Islamabad, raising serious questions over fire safety, emergency preparedness and conditions inside the facility.

The fire broke out early on August 26 at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health ward. Pakistani authorities said the blaze was linked to an electrical fault involving an air-conditioning unit.

Officials said 19 people, including seven children, were rescued from the affected area. However, 14 newborns in the intensive-care unit died in the fire. Many of the babies were in incubators or receiving oxygen, making an evacuation particularly difficult.

Witnesses describe chaos

The tragedy has triggered anger and grief among families, with witnesses describing thick smoke, shattered windows and desperate attempts to reach the newborns.

Some witnesses alleged that doors to the neonatal unit were locked or difficult to access, while others claimed security personnel prevented people from leaving. Families and bystanders reportedly tried to break doors and windows to reach those trapped inside.

Hospital officials disputed some of these claims. PIMS executive director Rana Imran Sikander said the ward door was not locked but was manned, explaining that security measures were in place because of previous incidents involving infant theft.

Government orders investigation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation and called for the strictest action against anyone found responsible.

The government also moved to investigate whether inadequate fire-safety infrastructure contributed to the deaths. Officials said there were fire extinguishers in the ward but no active water-sprinkler system.

Health Secretary Aslam Ghori was removed from his position following the tragedy, according to reports.

Officials have maintained that emergency teams responded rapidly, with Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry saying rescuers reached the hospital within minutes. This contrasts with accounts from some witnesses and grieving relatives who said they experienced delays during the rescue operation.

A wider safety problem

The Islamabad tragedy has also revived concerns about fire-safety standards in Pakistan's public buildings.

Deadly fires have repeatedly exposed weaknesses in building regulations, emergency exits, fire-prevention systems and enforcement. UNICEF's Pakistan representative called for an urgent review and strengthening of fire-prevention and safety standards in health facilities following the deaths.

For the families who lost their newborn children, however, the investigation can offer little comfort. The central question now is whether the deaths could have been prevented — and whether failures in hospital safety, emergency planning or infrastructure turned a fire into a catastrophe.

The government has promised accountability. The families of the 14 babies will now be waiting to see whether that promise leads to meaningful action.