A fire at a hospital in Pakistan's capital has killed at least 15 newborn babies, according to officials.
The blaze broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning in a nursery ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. Hospital officials confirmed that at least 15 newborns were in the nursery when the fire took hold, with only one baby successfully rescued.
Fire caused by air-conditioning compressor explosion
The fire started at approximately 6.45am after the compressor of an air-conditioning unit exploded in the nursery, which forms part of the hospital's gynaecology ward. Local media reported that firefighters arrived swiftly, extinguishing the flames while rescue teams carried out cooling operations. A hospital spokesperson was unavailable for comment.
Prime Minister orders investigation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed profound grief over the tragedy and immediately ordered a full investigation. A statement from his office confirmed the devastating death toll of 14 newborns.
Sharif said: "A tragedy involving children is an irreparable loss." He expressed his "heartfelt condolences to the families of the innocent children", adding "his heart is saddened by this tragic incident".
Rescue efforts and identification process
Emergency responders rescued at least 19 people from the hospital, including 10 women, seven children and two men. Police have confirmed that the deceased newborns sustained severe burns and will require DNA testing for identification purposes, meaning their remains cannot be returned to their families until this process is complete.
