Story summary
14 newborn babies were killed in a fire that broke out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, on August 26th. The fire started in an air-conditioning unit on the third floor of the mother and child ward, which was fueled by oxygen being administered to babies in incubators.
According to reports, there were at least 15 newborns in the nursery when the fire broke out, but only one baby was rescued. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed that 14 babies had died, and said that the cause of the fire was a "blast in the air conditioner" that ignited a blaze.
The hospital's administration has launched an investigation into the incident, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate inquiry. President Asif Ali Zardari also offered condolences to the families of the victims, describing the deaths as "heartbreaking and an irreparable loss".
Witnesses reported that there was a long wait for rescue workers to arrive, and some parents said they were forced to smash through windows to try and get to their babies. The incident has sparked outrage and calls for accountability, with lawmakers demanding reforms in the country's health sector.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, but initial reports suggest that it may have been caused by a technical fault or negligence on the part of hospital staff.
Written for “Fire in Pakistan Hospital” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 8 other(s) covering the same event.
Fourteen infants were killed in a fire that broke out in the gynaecology ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) early on Wednesday.
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that → kill → Wednesday
Footage aired on television showed rescue workers using ladders to reach broken windows to access the affected area.
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workers → air → area
Outside the hospital, an AFP reporter saw a woman in tears and a man clear glass from two broken windows, as security guards stood at the entrance to the medical facility.
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guards → see → facility
Several witnesses, their hands and faces blackened from the smoke, told AFP they waited hours for help from the emergency services.
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they → blacken → services
They were forced to smash through windows to try and get to the neonatal intensive care unit.
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They → force → unit
Others said they came across locked doors and alleged guards prevented those inside the building from leaving as the fire raged.
In a statement, the Islamabad administration said that the fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital’s ward.
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fire → say → ward
It said that rescue teams rushed to the scene, with six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances taking part in the rescue operation.
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vehicles → say → operation
“The fire was immediately brought under control and the children were immediately shifted to the intensive care unit,” it said, adding that 14 children “were completely burnt”.
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children → bring → unit
Pims Spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil told Dawn that 15 babies were in the ward.
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babies → tell → ward
“At least one baby was saved by a doctor,” she said.
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she → save → doctor
She added that six bodies have been handed over to the parents, adding that the remaining would be handed over soon.
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remaining → add → parents
Speaking to Geo News, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said that the infants in the ward were either in incubators or on oxygen.
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infants → speak → oxygen
He said the incident occurred at 6:45am due to a “blast in the air conditioner” inside the ward.
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incident → say → ward
He said that the blast caused the fire, which was exacerbated due to the presence of the oxygen tanks.
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which → say → tanks
He confirmed that 14 infants had been killed, adding that law enforcement agencies were on the ground.
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agencies → confirm → ground
‘We ran for our lives’
Malik Israr, whose niece was admitted to the gynae ward, told Dawn that it was unfortunate the nursery was housed in a building in which repair and renovation work was ongoing.
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work → run → which
“After the fire erupted, they told patients to vacate the building.
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they → erupt → building
Women who had just given birth had to rush down the stairs from the second floor,” he said.
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he → give → floor
Khurram Mehmood, 40, told AFP he lost his three-day-old daughter in the blaze and that rescuers took hours to arrive.
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rescuers → tell → hours
“I lost my daughter.
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I → lose → daughter
She was only three days old,” he said.
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he → say → ?
They took everyone out.
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They → take → everyone
We were sitting on the road waiting for help.”
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We → sit → help
He added, “Rescue teams arrived too late.
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teams → add → ?
Police arrived after four hours and said they were here to investigate.
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they → arrive → hours
Babies burnt to death there, but nobody could save them.”
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nobody → burn → them
Mehmood said the fire erupted at 6am, and rescue and authorities reached at 9am.
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rescue → say → am
“People were helping themselves.”
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People → help → themselves
A mother with black residue from the smoke on her hands stood crying outside the hospital as she held her 10-day-old baby in her arms.
“People were screaming.
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People → stand → arms
We ran for our lives.
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We → run → lives
Thank god my baby is safe,” Shagufta Parveen told AFP.
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Parveen → thank → AFP
“Give me my child,” Javeria, who lost her newborn, said outside the hospital, where ambulances had gathered.
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ambulances → give → hospital
“I want justice.”
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I → want → justice
Mudasir, another parent who also lost his child, said all doors of the ward, except one, were shut and that there was “no fire security” in the ward.
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doors → lose → ward
Pims, established in 1985, is Islamabad’s biggest public sector hospital.
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Pims → establish → 1985
It is one of two of the oldest health facilities in the federal capital and comprises several hospitals and teaching institutes.
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It → comprise → hospitals
Federal health secretary removed
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and directed the relevant authorities to investigate the incident.
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Sharif → remove → incident
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), he expressed deep sorrow and grief at the incident and offered his condolences to the bereaved families.
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he → accord → families
“Such a situation involving children is unbearable,” the statement quoted him as saying.
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statement → involve → him
“The circumstances that led to the incident should be thoroughly reviewed, those responsible should be identified, and the strictest possible action should be taken,” he said.
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he → lead → incident
…and 46 more, not listed.
