At Least 15 Infants Die in PIMS Nursery Fire, Say Officials

Islamabad – (Staff Reporter/Web Desk) – A heartbreaking PIMS nursery fire has left at least 15 newborn babies dead at a government hospital in Islamabad. The tragedy struck early Wednesday morning, turning a place meant for new life into a scene of grief.

Officials say the nursery held 16 tiny patients when the fire broke out. Sadly, only one baby could be pulled out alive. The rest did not survive the flames.

The blaze began around 6:45 in the morning. Rescue teams believe an air conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery, setting off the fire almost instantly.

The hospital involved is the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, widely known as PIMS. It sits in the heart of the federal capital and serves thousands of families every year.

Firefighters worked quickly once the alarm was raised. They managed to put out the flames, though teams stayed behind to cool down the area and make sure no sparks remained.

According to local authorities, 14 of the babies suffered fatal burns. The fire tore through the third floor of the hospital’s MCH ward, a section built to care for mothers and their children.

Help arrived fast. Six fire brigade vehicles rushed to the site, along with four ambulances. Rescue workers say they reached the hospital within minutes of getting the call.

Despite the quick response, the damage was already done. Families now wait for answers, while the hospital tries to process what went wrong inside a ward meant to protect its smallest patients.

To find out exactly how this happened, officials have set up a special inquiry committee. An additional deputy commissioner will lead the investigation.

The committee’s job is simple but serious. They must figure out what truly caused the fire and how it spread so fast through the nursery.

This incident has shaken the local community and raised fresh questions about safety standards inside government hospitals. Many are now asking how something so preventable could turn so deadly.

Newborn care units are supposed to be among the safest places in any hospital. Yet faulty equipment, like the exploding compressor in this case, can quickly turn safety into danger.

As news spreads, people across the city are expressing shock and sorrow. Parents who trusted the hospital with their newborns are left devastated by the loss.

Health officials have not yet announced what steps will follow the investigation. However, pressure is building for stronger checks on hospital equipment, especially in sensitive areas like newborn nurseries.

For now, the focus remains on supporting grieving families and understanding the full scale of what happened. The community continues to wait for clear answers from the inquiry committee.

This tragic event stands as a painful reminder of how quickly things can go wrong, even in places built to save lives.