Pakistan hospital fire kills 14 newborns as inquiry probes safety failures

At least 14 newborn babies were killed after a fire broke out in the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), one of the main state-run hospitals in Islamabad, on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, according to Pakistani officials and local media. 

The fire began at about 6:38 a.m. on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward. PIMS officials said a spark inside the nursery rapidly developed into an intense blaze, while Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told Geo News that an air-conditioning unit was involved.

PIMS officials and spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil said 15 newborns were in the ward, of whom one was saved. 

Kamal said the babies were either in incubators or connected to oxygen equipment. He told Geo News that oxygen in the ward helped the fire spread.

"The fire erupted after a blast in (an) air conditioner," Kamal said.

The blaze was among the deadliest hospital fires in Pakistan in recent years, according to Reuters, in a country where government healthcare is subsidised but state-run facilities are frequently criticised as under-resourced, overburdened and poorly managed.

Hospital says staff attempted immediate rescue

PIMS later issued its first detailed account of the incident, saying the fire began with a spark at 6:38 a.m. and intensified within seconds because of oxygen points connected to incubators.

According to the hospital's statement, two doctors and two nurses on duty immediately responded and called security personnel for assistance. Staff attempted to enter the nursery twice to evacuate the babies before an explosion at 6:39 a.m. caused ceilings to collapse.

"The staff attempted to enter the nursery twice to evacuate the babies. At 6:39am, an explosion occurred, causing the ceilings to collapse," the administration said.

The hospital said duty staff rescued one baby from the nursery and four babies from an adjoining room. Three mothers were also moved to safety.

A further 73 patients in the gynaecology ward on the same floor were evacuated "within minutes", according to PIMS.

The administration said staff used all 35 fire extinguishers installed at the hospital to contain the blaze and that all emergency exits were "fully open and operational".

PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar said two doctors, four nurses and other staff members were present in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit when the fire occurred. He said one doctor managed to save a newborn.

Sikandar also said the hospital had a satisfactory fire safety system, that 24 oxygen cylinders were present and that rescue teams faced no obstruction during their operations. He said action would be taken against anyone found responsible.

Witnesses report delays and blocked access

The hospital's account was disputed by witnesses who described chaotic scenes, heavy smoke and broken glass.

Several witnesses told AFP, according to Dawn, that they waited for hours for emergency services and were forced to smash windows in an attempt to reach the neonatal intensive care unit. Others alleged that they encountered locked doors and that security guards prevented people inside the building from leaving.

Khurram Mehmood, whose three-day-old daughter died in the fire, told AFP: "We were sitting on the road waiting for help."

Another witness, Abdul Ghafoor, said the fire spread "very quickly". He told AFP that he entered the hospital to try to help patients but was unable to reach the maternity ward because of thick smoke.

Another eyewitness told Geo News that staff members scrambled to respond and told people to evacuate.

"We rescued ourselves and our patients," the witness said.

Another man told Geo News that hospital staff did not use fire-extinguishing equipment to put out the blaze.

PIMS rejected allegations that emergency exits were blocked, saying all exits were open and operational.

Conflicting accounts over emergency response

Authorities also gave differing accounts of the timing of the emergency response.

State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said rescue teams reached the hospital within six minutes of receiving the fire alert. The Islamabad administration said six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances took part in the operation and that the fire was quickly brought under control.

However, a report obtained by Geo News said the fire brigade received information about the blaze at 6:55 a.m. and that its first vehicle reached PIMS six minutes later.

The report concluded that the hospital's fire-prevention arrangements did not meet prescribed safety requirements. It said emergency exit routes were permanently closed from the outside and that obstacles were present along safe evacuation routes.

It also alleged that PIMS security staff obstructed fire brigade personnel during their initial response and found that arrangements for managing crowds at the scene were inadequate.

Officials give differing accounts of cause

Officials have also offered different descriptions of what caused the fire and how it spread.

Kamal said CCTV footage showed a spark in the air conditioner at 6:38 a.m., followed by a fireball that landed on the floor of the ward.

"At 6:38am, it can be seen in the CCTV footage that there was a spark in the AC, then a fireball could be seen erupting out of it and landing on the floor of the ward," he told reporters in Islamabad.

He said four people, including two nurses and two doctors, were seen rushing for help one minute later, at which point the room became engulfed in flames.

Kamal said it appeared that 14 of the 15 infants had been connected to oxygen tubes and that the oxygen contributed to the spread of the fire.

"Apparently, it seems that 14 out of the 15 infants were connected to oxygen tubes and it was that oxygen which caught flame," he said.

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, meanwhile, said the fire was caused by a short circuit and that most of the children died from asphyxiation. He said doctors, nurses and other staff were present during the incident and remained safe.

He said the fire spread because of gas lines and plastic instruments inside the hospital, adding that the oxygen supply also contributed to the spread of the fire. 

Oxygen itself is not flammable but can accelerate combustion, causing materials to burn hotter and faster, according to the BBC.

Government orders high-level inquiry

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed "deep sorrow and heartfelt regret" over the deaths and ordered an immediate investigation, saying, "Such a situation with children is irreparable," while sharing "the grief of the parents".

Sharif later chaired a high-level meeting on the PIMS nursery fire, expressed strong displeasure with relevant officials and ordered the immediate suspension of Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori.

A formal inquiry committee was formed, chaired by former interior secretary Shahid Khan, with Major General (retd) Dr Khurshid Utra, Dr Barrister Nabeel Ahmed Awan and the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad as members.

The committee will establish the immediate cause and timeline of the fire, review the emergency response and relief operations by hospital staff, the Fire Brigade and Rescue 1122, and assess compliance with procedures for evacuating newborns, particularly high-risk infants. It will also review PIMS's fire-safety infrastructure and compliance with existing regulations.

The panel will identify responsibility and any negligence and recommend administrative reforms to prevent similar incidents. It must submit an interim report with urgent recommendations within 48 hours and a comprehensive report with findings and actionable recommendations within five days.

The Ministry of National Health Services has been instructed to notify the committee and provide full cooperation.

Families receive remains of babies

Chaudhry said the bodies of all 14 children had been handed over to their families.

Some families identified their deceased babies through wristbands, while others used their ages to identify them, he told the BBC. Some of the babies were reportedly only three hours old.

Chaudhry said the initial rescue operation had been completed and its report sent to the prime minister and interior minister.

"If there was any negligence, it will emerge in the inquiry," he said.

He added that CCTV footage and other evidence had been secured and that investigators would establish how many doctors and staff members were present when the fire broke out.

Health minister vows accountability

Kamal, who travelled from Karachi to Islamabad and reached the capital in the afternoon, said he would submit himself to scrutiny as part of the investigation.

"No one responsible for negligence, including me, will be spared," he told reporters, according to Dawn.

He said the investigation involved experts and different institutions and promised that all facts would be established.

"Nothing will remain hidden and all facts will be unearthed," he said.

Asked whether he would resign, Kamal said those found responsible would not be spared, including himself. He added that Sharif had instructed him not to discuss certain issues publicly and that he would meet the prime minister.

"Everyone is on board, and the findings will be presented," he said.

Leaders express grief

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep grief over the deaths and conveyed his sympathies to the families, describing the loss of the newborns as heartbreaking and irreparable.

He called for those responsible to be identified and held accountable under the law.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said he was "deeply saddened" by the incident and expressed solidarity with the parents, praying for strength and patience for them to bear the "irreparable loss".

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the fire as an "extremely heartbreaking and tragic event" and said his sympathies were with the grieving families.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called the deaths "sad and heart-wrenching", while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz described the deaths of the children as "extremely painful and distressing".

Nawaz also directed that the presence and functionality of firefighting equipment be ensured in all hospitals.

The British High Commission described the incident as "heartbreaking" and expressed its sympathies to the children's parents.