Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in G-8, Islamabad.

Imran.doctor / Wikimedia Commons, public domain · source

Composite story

Fire in Islamabad hospital nursery kills 14 newborns

A blaze in the neonatal unit at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences killed 14 of 15 infants. Officials blamed an air-conditioner spark; parents described locked doors and a slow rescue.

Fourteen newborns died Wednesday in a fire in the neonatal nursery at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad's largest public hospital. Officials said an air-conditioning unit sparked around 6:38 a.m. and oxygen at the incubators spread the blaze; one of 15 infants in the ward was rescued. Parents said doors were locked and rescuers took hours; hospital and city officials said exits were open, staff were on duty, and crews arrived within minutes. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suspended health secretary Aslam Ghauri and ordered inquiries.

Shared facts

"The deaths of 14 newborns in the federal capital are one of the most horrific tragedies in human history

The statement said the duty staff managed to rescue a baby in the nursery and four in an adjacent room, along with three mothers

"There was a short circuit in the nursery, in the children's ward," he said. "It was full of smoke."

In a statement, the Islamabad administration said that the fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital's ward

The fire broke out early on Wednesday.

People had to break windows and jump out

He continued: "Apparently, it seems that 14 out of the 15 infants were connected to oxygen tubes and it was that oxygen which caught flame."

He added that once the rescue teams assessed the situation, 19 people were rescued, including seven children, 10 mothers and two men

Pims is Islamabad's biggest public sector hospital.

Ali Abbas, 20, was with his sister who was a patient in the ward

It also stated that the prime minister suspended the federal health secretary and asked him to leave the meeting

She was only three days old," he said. "My wife was in the ward. They took everyone out

Gilani urged the relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident and take effective and practical steps to prevent such trage…

"You would not see that anywhere else in the world, but we have the issue, so the door had to be manned with a guard," Kamal explained

"The fire was in the nursing room, and we could not see anything

Fire tenders, rescue teams, ambulances of the Capital Emergency Services (CES) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration were part of the depl…

He said he would be meeting the premier and that the two had been in touch

Malik Israr, whose niece was admitted to the gynae ward, told Dawn that it was unfortunate the nursery was housed in a building in which repair and renovatio…

The premier chaired a high-level meeting on the incident, where he expressed his anger and issued directives for "strict action", the PMO said in another sta…

When pointed out that it was his responsibility to upgrade the facility, Kamal acknowledged his role and said, "We have to do it, but things cannot be ideal …

The notification said that a report would be furnished within 24 hours

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he was deeply saddened by the incident

Earlier this year a Karachi shopping-center fire killed at least 67 people.

Disputed facts

"For two hours I kept crying and wailing," the mother said, questioning the action taken by hospital staff and emergency responders

Alam Zaib, the father of a newborn child who was in another ward and remained safe, was quoted as saying that he tried to enter the ward where the fire broke…

One nurse, one doctor, one gynaecologist, one paediatrician — there was nobody in the entire ward. Why were they not there?"

Shared opinions

Thank god my baby is safe," Shagufta Parveen told AFP

"Any negligence in safety measures is unacceptable," he said

The statement quoted the prime minister as saying: "I am heartbroken at this tragic incident and share the parents' grief."

Disputed opinions

None yet.

BBC News

At least 14 babies die in Pakistan hospital fire

Gabriela Pomeroy and Carrie Davies

26 Aug 2026

Facts

Kamal said the babies in the ward were in incubators or on oxygen equipment.

Chaudhry said some of the babies were only three hours old.

Oxygen is not flammable on its own but can make a fire burn hotter and faster.

Talal Chaudhry said some families identified the dead by wristbands or by age.

Its maternal and child health unit has 156 beds.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

The Guardian

At least 14 newborn babies die in fire at Pakistan hospital's maternity ward

Shah Meer Baloch and Hannah Ellis-Petersen

26 Aug 2026

Facts

The hospital said the fire was immediately brought under control and children were shifted to intensive care.

Opinion

Khan said it was hard to describe this terrible moment.

"People were crying, screaming and asking for help. Women from the operation room had to run for their lives," he said. "Women were in pain themselves but crying and begging everyone to help them to rescue their children. It's hard to describe this terrible moment."

attribution · Alamzaib Khan

CNN

'No one can understand the pain:' Fire in maternity ward kills at least 14 newborn babies in Pakistan's capital

Azaz Syed and Lex Harvey

26 Aug 2026

Facts

Hospital workers rescued one child, the sources said.

CDA sources told CNN hospital authorities closed the main gates after the fire, delaying rescue.

Two sources at Islamabad's Capital Development Authority (CDA) later told CNN that hospital authorities closed the facility's main gates after the fire broke out, causing delays in the rescue operation.

It's unclear why this may have happened, but in previous emergencies, the hospital closed the complex to prevent any rush of family or visitors trying to reach patients.

The gates were reopened with the assistance of local traffic police, but hospital security personnel then provided first responders with the wrong location of the incident, the sources also said.

A spokesperson for the hospital denied the claims of the gate closure, calling them "factually incorrect."

attribution · CDA sources

Hospital security then gave first responders the wrong location, the sources said.

Faruqui said heads must roll and those responsible must be taken to task.

PIMS's website says its mission is to be a premier research-intensive medical university.

A June 2022 fire at a Lahore children's hospital destroyed medicine, local media reported.

Opinion

The father said no one can understand the pain he is going through.

MNA Sharmila Sahibah Faruqui called the tragedy shameful and unforgivable.

Al Jazeera

Locked inside: Grief and anger as Pakistan hospital fire kills 14 newborns

Abid Hussain

26 Aug 2026

Facts

District administration said the first call was at 6:45 a.m. and crews arrived within seven minutes.

A June 2024 fire at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital killed 11 babies.

His station was told at 6:55 a.m. and a video on arrival was timestamped 7:06 a.m.

A father of one victim submitted a DNA sample at the hospital morgue.

Some 50 metres away, Riaz's elder brother — and the nephew's father — was in the hospital morgue, submitting a DNA sample. The brother's baby daughter, born only three days earlier, was among the 14 who died in the fire.

She had been admitted to the nursery because of breathing problems.

fact

Maryam Nawaz ordered arrests after inquiries found Sahiwal's fire extinguishers had expired.

Executive director Rana Imran Sikandar said two doctors and four nurses were on duty in ICU when the fire began.

The hospital's executive director, Rana Imran Sikandar, said two doctors and four nurses had been on duty in the intensive care unit when the fire began.

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, speaking to reporters at the hospital, repeated the same figures.

attribution · Rana Imran Sikandar

The Mother and Child Hospital at PIMS has an older wing and a newly constructed wing.

Two inquiry committees were formed, one by the district administration and one by the PM's office.

Opinion

Waqar blamed the hospital for negligence and failing to protect newborns.

Waqar, whose sister survived the ordeal, was furious with the hospital administration, blaming it for negligence and failing to provide adequate protection for patients, particularly newborns.

"This is a nursery for critical infants, if one place had to have most immediate attention for safety, it was this room, and yet the criminal attitude led to this tragedy," she said.

attribution · Samina Waqar

Dawn

14 infants killed in fire at Pims' gynae ward in Islamabad

Ikram Junaidi and News Desk

26 Aug 2026

Facts

Citing a preliminary report, the Pims statement said the incident was "initially caused by a spark inside nursery at 06:38am and within seconds a massive fir…

Citing a preliminary report, the Pims statement said the incident was "initially caused by a spark inside nursery at 06:38am and within seconds a massive fire erupted due to oxygen points at each incubator".

Providing details of the incident, Kamal said: "At 6:38am, it can be seen in the CCTV footage that there was a spark in the AC, then a fireball could be seen erupting out of it and landing on the floor of the ward.

In one minute, at 6:39am, four people, including two nurses and two doctors, could be seen rushing for help and around the same time, the whole room was engulfed in flames".

attribution · Pims statement

"The fire was immediately brought under control and the children were immediately shifted to the intensive care unit," it said, adding that 14 children "were…

"The fire was immediately brought under control and the children were immediately shifted to the intensive care unit," it said, adding that 14 children "were completely burnt".

attribution · Islamabad administration

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, who reached Islamabad from Karachi in the afternoon, vowed that "no one responsible for negligence, including me, will be spar…

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, who reached Islamabad from Karachi in the afternoon, vowed that "no one responsible for negligence, including me, will be spared".

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, the health minister said he will present himself to his superiors for accountability.

Kamal reiterated that the "heart-wrenching" incident will be investigated and warned that "if there was any negligence, then as I said, we will not spare them, including myself".

On being asked if he was going to tender his resignation, the health minister said, "As I have said before, whoever is responsible [...] they will not be spared.

I have said what I can, and I wish I could say more, but the prime minister is my boss, and whatever his orders will be, I can only say that."

The minister reiterated that every responsible person will be held accountable.

"If I am willing to present myself for accountability, then no one else is left.

"Wherever there has been negligence, we will fix it," he said.

During his media talk, the minister got into a verbal altercation with an individual who asked when action would be taken against those responsible.

As the individual got louder, the minister repeatedly gestured to him to come forward and said, "Sir, come here and talk to me."

attribution · Mustafa Kamal

It said two doctors and two nurses on duty inside the nursery responded "immediately and called security staff, who joined in and tried to get in twice [to b…

It said two doctors and two nurses on duty inside the nursery responded "immediately and called security staff, who joined in and tried to get in twice [to bring] babies out until 06:39am, when a huge blast occurred and ceilings fell down".

attribution · Pims statement

It said that rescue teams rushed to the scene, with six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances taking part in the rescue operation

However, the hospital disputed this in a statement issued later in the evening

"Besides immediate response, staff managed rescue of 73 other admitted patients in the adjacent Gynae ward on the same floor within minutes," it added

The hospital asserted that "available fire safety equipment installed, including 35 fire extinguishers, were all utilised by the staff to contain the situati…

The hospital asserted that "available fire safety equipment installed, including 35 fire extinguishers, were all utilised by the staff to contain the situation".

Kamal claimed that the hospital had ensured compliance each time a notice had been issued in the past, pointing out that the blaze was contained with "26 fire extinguishers available in the building".

attribution · hospital

The federal minister was also questioned about fire safety standards at Pims, with a reporter pointing out that the hospital had been issued notices for the …

The federal minister was also questioned about fire safety standards at Pims, with a reporter pointing out that the hospital had been issued notices for the past eight years.

On being asked if Pims met the CDA's fire safety protocols, with a journalist also pointing out that his ministry had been issuing notices to the hospital for the past seven years, he acknowledged that notices had been issued.

"It is a huge institution, and notices were issued [...] but what was complied with and what was not — as there are multiple buildings; we cannot conclude anything today, and an inquiry committee has been formed".

fact

When a reporter asked about his early morning statement over the lack of adequate facilities at Pims and "why in his 2-2.5 years as a health minister, no imp…

When a reporter asked about his early morning statement over the lack of adequate facilities at Pims and "why in his 2-2.5 years as a health minister, no improvement had been made", the minister, getting visibly frustrated, said, "If it has been 2-2.5 years, then feel free to shoot me" and clarified that he had only been at his position for one year and two months.

attribution · Mustafa Kamal

"What I said in the morning has to be seen within a certain parameter

Among the victims were the twin daughters of Bahadur Khan, a vegetable seller, The New York Times reported

Among the victims were the twin daughters of Bahadur Khan, a vegetable seller, The New York Times reported.

Bahadur said his wife was recovering in Pims' intensive care unit and was not aware of the deaths of their three-day-old daughters.

attribution · The New York Times

According to the PMO, a high-level inquiry committee, headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan, has launched an investigation

According to the PMO, a high-level inquiry committee, headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan, has launched an investigation.

According to state-run Radio Pakistan, Major General (retired) Dr Khursheed Uttra, Establishment Division Secretary Dr Barrister Nabeel Awan and Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon will serve as its members.

According to the terms of reference (ToRs), the panel will ascertain the cause of the fire and review the rescue operations carried out by the hospital staff and relevant agencies such as Rescue 1122.

Besides conducting a detailed review of the fire safety infrastructure at Pims, the committee will also determine the responsibility and negligence, if any, of individuals involved in the incident.

It will recommend necessary reforms for Pims's administrative system to help prevent such kind of incidents in the future.

attribution · Prime Minister's Office

Subsequently, Captain (retired) Muhammad Mahmood, a BS-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), was appointed to the post of health secretary…

Subsequently, Captain (retired) Muhammad Mahmood, a BS-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), was appointed to the post of health secretary for three months "or till the posting of a regular incumbent," a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat said.

fact

The inquiry committee will submit an interim report to the prime minister within 48 hours, containing recommendations for immediate action

The inquiry committee will submit an interim report to the prime minister within 48 hours, containing recommendations for immediate action.

It will submit a comprehensive report within five days, containing the findings of the complete investigation and actionable recommendations.

fact

Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry insisted that there had not been any delay in the arrival of rescue teams and defended the district administra…

Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry insisted that there had not been any delay in the arrival of rescue teams and defended the district administration.

He also said that administration officials "from the assistant commissioner to commissioner to the Islamabad IG" reached the hospital to monitor the situation.

"Not only did they monitor but also assisted in the rescue operation," he said.

Reiterating that rescue teams reached the site within six minutes, the state minister said, "There appears to be no negligence on the part of rescue services."

However, he added, only the hospital administration could answer for the arrangements present within the hospital.

He added that a report of the incident had been sent to the prime minister and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who he said had been monitoring the situation.

attribution · Tallal Chaudhry

Rehman said the Pims' executive director must "answer why the system here keeps being akin to gross negligence"

Rehman said the Pims' executive director must "answer why the system here keeps being akin to gross negligence".

She insisted they were not visiting "to play politics" but were sent by the party leadership to raise questions on behalf of the public.

In a post on her X account, Rehman also shared a video of her visiting the ward.

attribution · Sherry Rehman

Pims, established in 1985, is Islamabad's biggest public sector hospital

Meanwhile, PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, who reached Pims along with Senator Sherry Rehman and others, demanded that the head of the MCH be removed

Chaudhry said that the bodies of all 14 infants had been handed over to their families

"Totally gutted

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) called for an urgent review as it expressed grief over the incident

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) called for an urgent review as it expressed grief over the incident.

The UN agency added, "Every newborn deserves a safe start to life, and every mother and child should be able to receive care in a safe, secure health facility."

It called for the urgent review and strengthening of fire prevention and safety standards across health facilities.

fact

"The association reiterates that healthcare facilities are designed to protect and restore human lives, yet administrative failure and regulatory oversight l…

"The association reiterates that healthcare facilities are designed to protect and restore human lives, yet administrative failure and regulatory oversight lapses have turned these institutions into danger zones," it said.

It demanded action against officials "whose failure to uphold safety codes resulted in this catastrophe".

It also demanded enforcing strict consequences so that "systemic failure serves as a decisive warning, preventing future lapses across both public and private medical facilities".

It further said that there should be immediate restructuring and public accountability of health regulatory authorities responsible for enforcing safety protocols, building codes and emergency infrastructure in hospitals.

The PMA also called for "full institutional backing for the grieving parents, ensuring they receive complete legal, financial, and emotional justice".

attribution · Pakistan Medical Association

It recalled that similar tragic incidents had occurred in Lahore's Services Hospital in June 2012, the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi i…

It recalled that similar tragic incidents had occurred in Lahore's Services Hospital in June 2012, the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi in January 2020, and the nursery of Sahiwal Teaching Hospital in June 2024.

fact

"The death of newborn children in a place entrusted with their treatment and care is deeply distressing and raises serious questions about safety and emergen…

"The death of newborn children in a place entrusted with their treatment and care is deeply distressing and raises serious questions about safety and emergency preparedness," said Rashida Qureshi, programme manager at SFJ and spokesperson for CAN Pakistan.

It contended that an inquiry committee headed by an ADC was "neither adequate nor appropriate given the gravity of the tragedy and the need to determine possible administrative, criminal and institutional responsibility".

ICN demanded an immediate judicial inquiry and an independent investigation into allegations by parents regarding the absence of staff, emergency exits and other administrative lapses.

attribution · Rashida Qureshi

Civil Society Network Pakistan (CSNP) called upon Federal Constitution Court's (FCC) Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan to take immediate notice on a suo motu basi…

Civil Society Network Pakistan (CSNP) called upon Federal Constitution Court's (FCC) Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan to take immediate notice on a suo motu basis or initiate appropriate constitutional proceedings on serious human rights violations arising out of the babies' deaths.

CSNP President Advocate Abdullah Malik told Dawn that he has also requested the FCC chief justice to consider constituting a high-level, independent and transparent inquiry to determine the exact cause and circumstances of the fire at Pims.

fact

Opinion

"Give me my child back," Jaweria, who lost her newborn, said outside the hospital. "I want justice."

Bokhari said it was not just negligence but rather criminal negligence and should not be ignored

"The health ministry now has no justification for taking public funds

"Honestly, I would have resigned on the spot," Rehman added later

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari wrote on X: "Mothers do not keep their children in the womb for nine months just so that, due to someone's negligence, th…

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari wrote on X: "Mothers do not keep their children in the womb for nine months just so that, due to someone's negligence, they burn alive as soon as they are born.

attribution · Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

In its statement, the Islamabad Citizens Network (ICN) said, "This is not merely an unfortunate accident; it is a national tragedy in which innocent newborns…

In its statement, the Islamabad Citizens Network (ICN) said, "This is not merely an unfortunate accident; it is a national tragedy in which innocent newborns, entirely dependent on the hospital system, its staff and state-provided arrangements for their safety and survival, lost their lives."

attribution · Islamabad Citizens Network