A tragic fire at a nursery within a prominent government hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, resulted in the deaths of 14 newborns. The nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences housed 15 infants at the time of the fire, as hospital officials reported. At least one infant was successfully rescued.

Rescue teams indicated the fire started around 6:45 a.m., seemingly due to an air conditioning unit’s compressor explosion in the nursery, located in the gynecology ward. Rapid response from firefighters ensured the blaze was quickly subdued. Rescue operations continued with cooling efforts at the site, as detailed by local media sources. Attempts to reach a hospital spokesperson for comments from The Associated Press were unsuccessful.

Images from the incident showed a mother reacting in grief after her infant’s death, highlighting the profound impact of the fire. Security measures were heightened around the Mother and Child Health ward as a precautionary step following the incident.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif voiced his sorrow for the loss of young lives and ordered a prompt investigation to identify the cause of the fire. His office acknowledged the deaths of 14 infants in a statement. Prime Minister Sharif described the tragedy as an irreversible loss and stressed the need for a comprehensive review of the incident’s circumstances. He called for accountability and decisive actions against those responsible, as covered by the French news agency AFP.