Fire at Pakistan hospital's maternity ward kills 14 newborns
A blaze at a state hospital in Islamabad killed 14 infants in the mother and child unit, with witnesses saying the ward door was locked and rescuers took hours to arrive.
A fire broke out early Wednesday in the mother and child unit of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad, one of the country's largest state-run hospitals. Of the 15 babies present at the time, only one survived.
The blaze started in an air-conditioning unit on the third floor. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with relatives grabbing infants and fleeing without stopping to collect belongings after smoke was spotted.
Several parents said the ward's door was locked and that emergency responders took hours to reach the scene. One mother said she cried for two hours before police arrived, four hours after the fire started, only to begin an investigation. Another father said he lost his three-day-old daughter.
Conflicting accounts
The hospital's executive director told the BBC the door had not been locked but was staffed, explaining that such measures are meant to prevent baby theft, which has occurred at government hospitals before. Islamabad's Chief Commissioner said rescue teams arrived immediately after the emergency call was made.
PIMS is among the largest hospitals in Pakistan's capital, with 156 beds in its maternal and child health unit.
Pattern of deadly fires
Pakistan has experienced several major fires in recent years, often attributed to weak safety regulations and poor enforcement. In January, a fire at a Karachi shopping mall killed dozens, with survivors saying locked exits contributed to the death toll.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the hospital fire and ordered an immediate investigation. He also suspended the federal health secretary from his post.
