Tragic Fire at Islamabad Hospital Claims Lives of 14 Infants

New Delhi, India Aug 26, 2026 ALN: It was just after dawn on Wednesday morning at a maternity ward in the Pakistani capital when a horrific blaze erupted.

The fire would go on to claim the lives of 14 infants, a tragic event that has left families devastated and raised serious questions about safety protocols in hospitals across Pakistan. Witnesses report that parents waited for hours for help to arrive, while the flames engulfed the ward, leaving them powerless to save their children.

Hivsa Walid, who was present at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital with her sister-in-law, who had recently given birth, recounted the harrowing experience. Initially, she heard a shout and assumed a patient had died, but soon realized that smoke was filling the room. In a panic, she and her sister-in-law fled the scene with a newborn baby, who, at that point, had not yet been named. "We didn't even think about our belongings. We just grabbed the baby and rushed downstairs," Walid said. The chaotic scene left her in shock, as she described it as a blur of confusion and fear.

The fire reportedly broke out in an air-conditioning unit on the third floor of the mother and child unit at PIMS, which is one of the main state-run hospitals in Islamabad. Tragically, out of the 15 infants present in the ward at the time of the fire, only one was saved. The loss of life has sparked outrage among the families affected, as well as the broader community.

Khurram Mehmood, a grieving father, shared his anguish with AFP, stating, "I lost my daughter. She was only three days old." His heartbreaking testimony reflects the profound sorrow experienced by many families who were unable to save their newborns. Another mother, Jaweria, whose child was also a victim of the fire, expressed her frustration and despair. She claimed that the door to the maternity ward was locked, preventing her from reaching her baby. "For two hours I kept crying and wailing," she said. "Police arrived after four hours and said they are here to investigate." Her anger was palpable as she questioned the actions of the medical staff, asking, "Why did the doctors leave the children there?"

Rana Imran Sikander, the executive director of PIMS, responded to the allegations by stating that the ward's door was not locked but was manned to prevent potential theft of infants, a concern that has arisen in the past at government hospitals. However, this defense has done little to quell the anger of grieving parents and community members who feel that safety measures should have prioritized the lives of the infants over the risk of theft.

Walid highlighted the inadequacies in PIMS's safety protocols, noting that despite being a major hospital, it lacked essential fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers. "There should have been fire extinguishers and protocols, but no one was doing anything - everyone was just running," she remarked. The father of another victim echoed her sentiments, stating that he had been visiting the ward for eight days and had observed a lack of fire safety measures and proper exits. "All doors were closed, only one door was for us to visit our children. They kept the other doors locked because they feared we would come to see our children too often," he explained.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that the situation was exacerbated by a lack of staff presence during the emergency. Several witnesses claimed that duty staff were not available when the fire broke out, leading to chaos as people attempted to break down doors to rescue trapped patients. One witness described how rescue teams were forced to smash windows to control the flames, highlighting the desperate measures taken to reach those inside. Abdul Ghafoor, another eyewitness, attempted to enter the building to help but was unable to reach the maternity ward due to thick black smoke. "There was thick black smoke inside and patients were trapped," he said. "Rescue teams arrived after almost two hours." This delay in response has raised serious concerns about the efficiency of emergency services in Islamabad.

In contrast, Islamabad's Chief Commissioner, Sohail Ashraf, stated that rescue teams reached the scene "immediately" after the emergency call was made, a claim that has been met with skepticism by those who witnessed the event. The differing accounts of the response time reflect the confusion and chaos that often accompany such disasters, complicating the investigation and accountability processes.

PIMS is one of the largest hospitals in Pakistan's capital, with 156 beds dedicated to maternal and child health. The facility's capacity to care for vulnerable populations like newborns is critical, making this incident all the more alarming. The country has faced numerous major fires in recent years, with inadequate safety laws, poor building codes, and lax enforcement often cited as contributing factors to high death tolls. A recent fire at a shopping mall in Karachi, which resulted in numerous fatalities, underscored the ongoing issues with fire safety in public buildings.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his "deep sorrow and heartfelt regret" over the tragic incident and has instructed authorities to conduct an immediate investigation. The government's response will be closely scrutinized as families seek justice for their losses and demand accountability for the failures that led to this tragedy. The implications of this fire extend beyond the immediate loss of life; they raise critical questions about the safety of healthcare facilities in Pakistan and the need for comprehensive reforms to protect the most vulnerable members of society. As the investigation unfolds, it is imperative that lessons are learned to prevent such a catastrophe from occurring in the future.