A tragic fire has engulfed the maternity and neonatal ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad, killing at least 15 newborn babies.
The fire broke out on the third floor of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) unit, one of the main wards of the hospital. According to PIMS spokesperson Dr. Aneeza Jalil, 14 newborns have lost their lives, while another baby has been rescued.
Emergency teams have intervened with fire engines, ambulances and specialized personnel. According to authorities, at least 19 people have been rescued from the building, including 10 women, seven children and two men.
Firefighters have managed to bring the fire under control, while the injured people have been transported for treatment, including to intensive care units.
There were 16 newborn babies in the ward at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire is still unknown and authorities have launched an investigation.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed “deep sorrow and sincere regret” over the tragedy and called for an immediate investigation to clarify the circumstances of the incident.
“Such a situation with children is irreversible,” said the statement from the prime minister’s office, which expressed condolences to the families of the babies.
PIMS is one of the largest government hospitals in Islamabad and its maternal and child health unit has 156 beds.
The incident brings to the fore fire safety issues in Pakistan.
The country has faced several major fires in recent years, and lax enforcement of building safety standards has often been cited as a factor in the tragedy.