Fire at Islamabad’s PIMS hospital kills 15 newborns

Fifteen newborn babies have died after a fire broke out in the mother and child health unit of Pakistan’s PIMS hospital in Islamabad, officials from the Rescue and Fire Service said.

Geo News reported today that the incident took place last night on the third floor of the hospital’s Mother and Child Health (MCH) unit. According to the report, 16 newborns were admitted in the neonatal ward when the fire erupted.

Officials said only one female doctor was able to take one baby out of the ward, while 15 others were trapped in the fire. Authorities also said 14 of the newborns were completely burned in the incident.

Officials from the rescue and fire service said the initial cause of the fire was the explosion of an air conditioner and cooling system compressor, adding that rescue teams brought the blaze under control. PIMS is one of the major medical centres in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.