A fire at a newborn nursery in Pakistan's capital killed 14 infants early Wednesday, according to hospital officials and the government. The blaze occurred at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, a major government hospital.
The nursery, part of the hospital's gynecology ward, housed at least 15 newborns when the fire started around 6:45 a.m. Local media reported that rescue teams extinguished the fire quickly and were conducting cooling operations at the scene. Officials stated that at least one baby was rescued.
The fire reportedly began after the compressor of an air-conditioning unit exploded inside the nursery. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his sorrow over the deaths and ordered an immediate investigation into the incident, according to a statement from his office.