Fourteen newborns died in a fire that erupted at a maternity ward in Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad. The blaze occurred Wednesday morning at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital.
The fire is believed to have been caused by a fault in an air conditioning system, according to local broadcaster Geo TV. Officials stated the nursery, which is part of the gynaecology ward, housed at least 15 newborns when the fire started around 6:45 a.m. local time. At least one infant was rescued from the nursery.
Firefighters responded rapidly and extinguished the flames. Rescue teams were observed carrying out cooling operations at the site. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences for the deaths and has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. A statement from his office confirmed the death toll of 14 newborns, with Sharif calling the loss of children an "irreparable loss."