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

Fourteen Newborns Lost in Maternity Ward Blaze at Islamabad’s Largest State Hospital

Wanderstayfinder.com – A devastating fire tore through the maternity unit of Pakistan’s most prominent government-run medical facility in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming the lives of at least 14 newborn infants housed in the intensive care unit. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad’s largest state hospital, confirmed the deaths in an official statement, marking one of the deadliest hospital fires in the country in recent years. Fifteen babies were present in the ward when the flames took hold; a single infant was pulled to safety by a doctor, according to hospital spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil.

How the Fire Spread

Investigators determined that the blaze originated from a malfunctioning air conditioning unit that rupted inside the nursery where critically ill newborns were being monitored. Health minister Mustafa Kamal explained that many of the infants were connected to oxygen supplies or housed in incubators, and that the pressurized oxygen canisters intensified the flames. Thick smoke rapidly filled the ward, reducing visibility to near zero and making breathing nearly impossible for those trapped inside.

The hospital administration stated that the fire was quickly contained and that surviving children were transferred to the ICU. However, the damage already sustained by the newborns in critical condition proved fatal.

Families Trapped and Desperate

Women who had recently delivered were forced to flee through multiple staircases, climb out of windows, and descend ladders to escape the smoke-filled corridors. Staff presence on the ward was minimal at the time of the incident, leaving families largely to manage their own evacuation.

Sardar Atti ur Rehman, 38, had been sleeping at the hospital after his wife delivered a daughter the day before. He bolted into the maternity ward as flames spread, frantically searching for his family amid choking smoke.

“I could not see my family including my newborn baby in the room but kept searching,” he said. “My heart was heavy.”

He eventually confirmed both his wife and child had escaped alive. During his ordeal, he helped drag a woman on a stretcher out of the ward, though other mothers refused to leave while calling out for their infants.

“I saw a mother who was crying and screaming for her child who was admitted inside the ICU,” he recounted. “I tried to enter the ICU but failed as the smoke was too thick. I could not see anything and I was facing issues to breathe. I begged her that you need to save yourself and we will look for the child later.”

Another father at the scene, whose newborn son was among the deceased, alleged that a lock on the nursery door prevented entry and that no staff member was available to unlock it. Rescuers ultimately shattered the nursery windows to reach the babies inside.

Alamzaib Khan, 26, was asleep on the hospital pavement when screams and wailing jolted him awake. His wife had undergone a caesarean section two days earlier and was still recovering in the facility, while their infant daughter had already been discharged.

“I was sleeping on the pavement when I heard people screaming and wailing,” he recalled. “I ran towards the ICU and children’s ward and I saw my wife while climbing down a ladder.”

After confirming his wife’s safety, he attempted to assist others.

“The moment I approached the children’s ward, I couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so thick,” he said. “I tried to go inside but it was not possible.”

“People were crying, screaming and asking for help. Women from the operation room had to run for their lives,” he added. “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.”

Official Response and Investigation

Islamabad chief commissioner Sohail Ashraf confirmed that the emergency call was placed just before 7 a.m. and that rescue and police units arrived swiftly at the scene. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate inquiry into the incident and demanded full accountability from those in charge of the facility’s safety systems.

“Such a situation involving children is irreparable,” Sharif stated. “Those responsible should be identified, and the strictest action should be taken.”

President Asif Ali Zardari extended condolences to the bereaved families, describing the loss of newborn lives as heartbreaking.

A Pattern of Neglect

The tragedy underscores persistent vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s healthcare infrastructure. Fires in large commercial and industrial buildings remain common across the country, frequently attributed to inadequate safety legislation and weak enforcement of building codes. Hospitals, where occupants include patients unable to move independently, face compounded risks when ventilation systems, electrical equipment, and oxygen supplies are not maintained to strict standards. The question now facing authorities is whether the faulty air conditioning unit represented a one-off mechanical failure or a symptom of broader maintenance and oversight gaps within the institution. For the families who lost their children in those early Wednesday hours, the answer will carry little comfort.