Fourteen newborn babies died after a fire broke out in the nursery of the Mother and Child Hospital at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) early Wednesday, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to order a high-level investigation and demand strict action against those found responsible.

Fifteen newborns were reportedly present in the ward when the fire erupted at around 6:45am. Rescue teams reached the hospital within minutes, but 14 infants suffered fatal injuries. One baby was rescued alive.

The Capital Emergency Service (CES) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Fire Department deployed six fire engines and four ambulances during the emergency response. Officials said the blaze was brought under control and cooling operations were subsequently completed.

The incident has raised serious questions about fire safety and emergency preparedness at the hospital, particularly because the affected ward housed highly vulnerable newborn patients.

The exact cause of the PIMS Hospital Fire has not yet been conclusively established, with officials offering different preliminary accounts. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the blaze was triggered by an explosion in an air-conditioning unit in the children’s intensive care ward, while Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the fire spread rapidly because of the oxygen supply, gas lines and plastic equipment present in the ward.

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Officials stressed that the crime scene was being examined and that the final cause would be determined through investigation.

According to the CDA, firefighting and rescue teams arrived at the scene approximately seven minutes after the emergency was reported. The response involved fire tenders, ambulances, rescue personnel and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration.

PIMS officials later confirmed that the bodies of the deceased infants had been handed over to their families.

PM orders investigation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting following the tragedy and expressed strong displeasure over the loss of life. He ordered the “strictest action” against anyone found responsible for negligence or failures that contributed to the deaths.

The prime minister also suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori during the meeting and directed him to leave, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Shehbaz expressed condolences to the bereaved families, saying the deaths had caused profound grief and sharing the parents’ sorrow.

A high-level inquiry committee has been established to investigate the incident. Former interior secretary Shahid Khan will head the committee, while Establishment Secretary Dr Barrister Nabeel Awan will serve as a member.

The committee has begun examining the circumstances surrounding the fire and the factors that may have contributed to the deaths.

Separate fact-finding inquiry

The Islamabad district administration has also formed a separate fact-finding committee to determine the precise cause of the blaze and assess the circumstances surrounding its spread.

The committee will be headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Islamabad Capital Territory, and include representatives from the CDA, Islamabad Police, IESCO, PIMS and Capital Emergency Services.

It has been tasked with examining whether adequate fire-safety arrangements were available and operational at the hospital. The committee will also assess the effectiveness and response time of the emergency services.

The district administration has directed the committee to submit its findings within 24 hours.

Officials offer differing accounts

The differing preliminary explanations have added to questions surrounding the incident.

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said an explosion in an air-conditioning unit triggered the fire, while also pointing to the presence of oxygen as a factor that caused the blaze to intensify.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the fire spread because of oxygen supplies, gas lines and plastic equipment in the ward. He cautioned that the precise cause could not yet be established.

Chaudhry said two doctors, a nurse and other staff members were present in the ward when the incident occurred and remained safe.

The conflicting preliminary accounts are expected to be examined as part of the ongoing investigations.

Political leaders express grief

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and called for those responsible to be identified and dealt with according to law.

He also stressed the need for effective fire-safety and emergency arrangements at hospitals, particularly in areas housing newborns and other vulnerable patients.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the incident was deeply distressing and called for an immediate and thorough investigation.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari described the deaths as an unbearable tragedy and called for an impartial investigation into how the fire occurred at one of Islamabad’s largest government hospitals.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also expressed condolences to the affected families.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi were among other political figures who expressed grief over the incident.

Kundi called for a complete and transparent investigation to establish both the cause of the fire and responsibility for any negligence.

The tragedy has renewed concerns about fire prevention, emergency response and safety standards in hospitals, where even a minor failure can have devastating consequences for critically vulnerable patients.

Authorities now face pressure to establish exactly how the fire started, why it spread so rapidly and whether adequate safety measures were in place to protect the newborns.