ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (APP) – In a tragic incident early Wednesday morning, at least 15 newborn babies lost their lives when a fire broke out in the nursery of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the capital.

According to the Capital Emergency Service (CES) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Fire Department, the emergency call was received at 6:54 am. Fire and rescue teams reached the hospital within seven minutes, deploying six fire brigade units and four ambulances to the site. The fire was brought under control promptly.

Hospital sources confirmed that 16 newborns were present in the nursery at the time of the incident. While one baby was rescued and shifted to the ICU, the remaining 15 succumbed to severe burns. PIMS spokesperson Dr. Aneeza Jalil confirmed the death toll to international media. In addition to the infants, rescue teams successfully evacuated 10 women, 7 children, and 2 men from the hospital.

Initial reports suggest the fire may have been caused by a short circuit or a blast in an air conditioner compressor within the nursery. The Islamabad district administration has formed a fact-finding committee, headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), to investigate the exact cause of the fire, assess the effectiveness of rescue operations, and examine whether adequate fire-safety measures were in place. The committee has been directed to submit its report within 24 hours.

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