A fire at a newborn nursery in Pakistan's capital killed 14 infants on Wednesday, according to hospital officials and the government. The blaze broke out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, a major government hospital. The nursery, which is part of the hospital's gynecology ward, housed at least 15 newborns at the time of the incident.
Rescue officials stated that the fire began around 6:45 a.m. It is believed to have started after the compressor of an air-conditioning unit exploded inside the nursery. Firefighters responded quickly and extinguished the fire, and rescue teams were observed carrying out cooling operations at the site.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his sorrow over the deaths and ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. A statement from his office confirmed that 14 newborns had died, with Sharif calling the loss of children an "irreparable loss."
At least one baby was reported to have been rescued from the nursery. Security personnel were seen standing guard outside the Mother and Child Health ward following the fire.
