Fourteen newborn babies died after a fire broke out in the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad early Wednesday, prompting the government to order a high-level investigation and demand strict action against those responsible. The fire erupted on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital at around 6:45am. Fifteen newborns were in the ward when the blaze broke out, according to the district administration. Fourteen suffered severe burns and later died, while one child was rescued alive. Firefighters and rescue teams reached the hospital within about seven minutes of receiving the emergency call. Six fire engines and four ambulances took part in the operation, while the Capital Emergency Service, Capital Development Authority Fire Department and Islamabad administration helped bring the blaze under control. Officials later completed cooling operations and inspected the affected area. PIMS said the bodies of all 14 deceased babies had been handed over to their families. Shehbaz, Nawaz Sharif discuss Imran Khan hospital transfer and AJK politics The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said an explosion in an air-conditioning unit may have triggered the blaze, while the presence of oxygen in the ward caused the fire to spread rapidly. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazl Chaudhry said investigators were examining the possibility that gas lines and plastic equipment contributed to the spread of the fire. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting after the incident and ordered the “strictest action” against anyone found responsible. He expressed deep grief over the deaths and suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori during the meeting. The prime minister also formed a high-level inquiry committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan. Establishment Secretary Dr Barrister Nabeel Awan will serve as a member. The committee has begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire. The Islamabad district administration separately constituted a fact-finding committee headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General). Representatives of the CDA, Islamabad Police, IESCO, PIMS and Capital Emergency Services are part of the committee. The committee will examine the cause of the fire, the factors that allowed it to spread, the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements and the response of emergency teams. It has been directed to submit its report within 24 hours. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the deaths and called for those responsible to be identified and dealt with according to law. He also directed authorities to ensure effective fire-safety and emergency arrangements at hospitals, particularly in areas caring for newborns and other vulnerable patients. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other political leaders also expressed condolences to the families. Bilawal called for an impartial investigation into the tragedy and said anyone responsible for negligence or failing to protect vulnerable patients should be held accountable. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed grief over the deaths and offered condolences to the bereaved families. The tragedy has raised fresh questions over fire safety, emergency preparedness and the protection of vulnerable patients at Pakistan’s largest government hospital. Authorities are now expected to establish whether safety standards were followed and whether any negligence contributed to the deaths. Post navigation US-Iran conflict: New sanctions loom as Hormuz oil traffic stalls
