14 newborns killed in Pakistan hospital fire, health secretary suspended

Fourteen newborn babies died after a fire swept through the maternity ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, prompting an investigation and the suspension of Pakistan’s federal health secretary.

The fire broke out on Wednesday morning in an air conditioning unit on the third floor of the hospital’s mother and child unit. A hospital spokesperson told the BBC that the fire was quickly intensified by oxygen connections in the ward.

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Fifteen newborns were inside the affected ward when the fire started. Only one survived, according to the hospital.

Seven other babies, 10 mothers and two men were rescued from the unit, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said.

The infants who died were in incubators or connected to oxygen equipment, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told Geo News, making it difficult for staff and rescuers to evacuate them as the fire spread.

The deaths have triggered questions about safety standards at one of Pakistan’s largest state run hospitals, particularly the availability of emergency exits and the speed of evacuation during a fire.

A father who lost his baby criticised the hospital’s safety arrangements, saying there were “no proper exits” and that “all doors were closed”.

The hospital’s executive director disputed the claim that the ward door was locked, telling the BBC that it was manned because of concerns over babies being stolen.

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Two senior Pakistani senators have also called for stronger fire and emergency safety systems in hospitals. One described the incident as highlighting an “urgent need” to modernise safety measures.

investigation ordered

Islamabad’s District Magistrate has set up a fact finding committee to determine what caused the fire and assess the safety measures in place before the incident. The committee has been given 24 hours to submit its report.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also ordered an immediate investigation and expressed “deep sorrow and heartfelt regret” over the deaths.

“Such a situation with children is irreparable,” Sharif said in a statement, extending his condolences to the families of the victims.

The prime minister has since suspended Federal Secretary of Health Aslam Ghauri and removed him from his post, according to Pakistan’s information ministry.

The ministry said Sharif chaired a high level meeting on the fire and expressed “deep anger” over the handling of the incident.

Authorities have faced scrutiny over how the babies were identified after the fire. Police initially said the bodies had been badly burnt and would need DNA testing before they could be returned to their families.

Chaudhry later said all 14 babies had been identified and handed over to their parents only after authorities confirmed their identities.

He did not say whether DNA testing was used in every case, but said Islamabad had the necessary forensic facilities. Some families were able to identify their babies through wristbands and their ages, he said.

“Some babies were only three hours old, while others were three days old,” Chaudhry told the BBC.

He said emergency responders arrived about six to seven minutes after receiving the call and described the rescue operation as “excellent”, despite criticism from some people at the scene.

pressure on hospital authorities

The fire has placed renewed attention on the condition of Pakistan’s public hospitals and their ability to respond to emergencies involving vulnerable patients.

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Established in 1985, PIMS serves patients from Islamabad as well as neighbouring areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The hospital has more than two dozen medical and surgical specialist units, a capacity of about 1,200 beds and serves thousands of outpatients.

Its maternal and child health unit has 156 beds, according to the hospital’s website, while the facility also houses a dedicated children’s hospital providing specialist paediatric care and training.

The immediate cause of the fire has been linked to the air conditioning unit, but the fact finding committee is expected to examine the wider circumstances, including the ward’s fire prevention systems, oxygen connections, evacuation arrangements and emergency access.

For families who had brought their newborns to the hospital for care, the incident has ended in one of Pakistan’s most devastating hospital fires in recent years, with authorities now under pressure to establish not only how the blaze began but why so many babies could not be brought to safety.