A fire broke out around 7 a.m. on August 26, 2026, in the mother and child health ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad, killing at least 15 newborns and injuring one who was rescued by hospital staff [1, 2, 3, 4]. The blaze started in the hospital’s third-floor maternity or nursery ward, where 16 newborns were housed [1, 2, 5, 3, 4].
The fire reportedly began due to a fault or explosion in the air conditioning compressor in the nursery [1, 2, 3, 4]. Pakistan’s Health Minister noted oxygen canisters in the ward may have intensified the fire [5]. Rescue teams quickly responded and extinguished the blaze, shifting survivors to intensive care [5, 4]. Islamabad chief commissioner Sohail Ashraf said, "The fire was immediately brought under control and the children were immediately shifted to the intensive care unit" [5].
Hospital spokesperson Dr. Aneeza Jalil confirmed, "One baby was saved by a doctor" from the fire [5]. The death toll varies slightly, with some sources reporting at least 14 newborns killed [5] and others at least 15 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The hospital is a primary state-run facility in Islamabad, previously criticized for poor management and inadequate resources [2, 5].
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation, warning that "Those responsible should be identified, and the strictest action should be taken" after describing the situation as "irreparable" due to the loss of children [2, 5]. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow, calling the "loss of lives heartbreaking" [5]. Fires are frequent in Pakistan’s large buildings due to weak safety regulations and enforcement [5].
Investigators will continue examining the precise cause of the fire, which remains under inquiry with some dispute on details [5, 1, 2, 3, 4]. Cooling and safety operations at the hospital are ongoing as officials brace for further developments [2, 5, 3, 4].
