At least 14 newborn babies killed in fire at Pakistan hospital nursery

Aug 25, 2026

On August 26, 2026, a devastating fire swept through the maternity ward nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, killing at least 14 newborn babies. The blaze, reportedly triggered by an air conditioning compressor explosion or short circuit, was exacerbated by oxygen canisters. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation, while medical associations highlighted systemic infrastructure neglect and lax safety enforcement across Pakistan.

PIMS hospital nursery fire

▪Repair and construction works were ongoing at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital when the fire occurred on August 26, 2026.
▪A fire broke out in the early hours of August 26, 2026, in the maternity ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the largest state hospital in Islamabad.
▪The fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences originated on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Ward.

Air conditioning system malfunction

▪The fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences was reportedly triggered by a short circuit or compressor explosion in an air conditioning unit.
▪Pakistan's Health Minister Mustafa Kamal stated that the fire was exacerbated by oxygen canisters and incubators inside the hospital ward.

Fourteen infant deaths

▪Khurram Mehmood reported that his three-day-old daughter died in the fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences on August 26, 2026.
▪The nursery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences housed 15 newborns when the fire broke out, and only one baby was rescued.
▪At least 14 newborn babies died in the fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences maternity ward on August 26, 2026.

Emergency rescue operations

▪Women who had recently given birth at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences were forced to evacuate by running down stairs from the upper floors.
▪The emergency call for the fire was made just before 7:00 a.m. on August 26, 2026, prompting the dispatch of six fire engines and four ambulances.

Prime Minister investigation order

▪Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed condolences and demanded legal accountability and improved hospital safety measures.
▪Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation into the fire and promised strict action against those found responsible.
▪The Islamabad district magistrate established a fact-finding committee, led by the additional deputy commissioner general, to submit an inquiry report within 24 hours.

Pakistan healthcare infrastructure deficiencies

▪The Pakistan Medical Association warned that the country's healthcare infrastructure is in a state of systemic collapse due to structural neglect and low expenditure.
▪Building fires are frequent in Pakistan due to poor safety laws, lax enforcement of building codes, and outdated electrical systems.