Pakistan PM forms panel to probe deaths of 14 infants in Islamabad hospital fire

Pakistan: High-level committee to investigate deaths of 14 infants in Islamabad hospital fire

Islamabad, Aug 26

At least 14 infants were killed when a fire broke out in the gynecology ward of the hospital early Wednesday morning.

Talking to local media, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the infants in the ward were either in incubators or receiving oxygen support when the incident occurred.

He said the fire broke out at around 6:40 am local time (0140 GMT) following what he described as a "blast in the air conditioner" inside the ward, adding that investigators are looking into the incident.

The hospital administration launched rescue operations, while fire brigade personnel, ambulances and police rushed to the scene. Several children were reportedly rescued from the ward.

Sources said that initially nine children died on the spot, while the others later succumbed to their injuries after being shifted to the children's ward, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to officials of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the nursery had 16 newborns at the time the fire broke out.

Rescue officials said that the fire was brought under control after firefighting teams reached the hospital and began operations. Teams continued cooling operations at the site after extinguishing the blaze to prevent any possibility of the fire reigniting.

According to the district administration, 14 babies were completely burnt in the fire that broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward. The administration said rescue personnel responded immediately after receiving information about the incident.

Six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances were deployed as part of the emergency response, the district administration said, Pakistan's leading Geo News Network reported.

The incident has once again raised serious questions about safety arrangements at hospitals in Pakistan, particularly in a ward housing vulnerable newborn children.

Officials said the enquiry will establish the circumstances that led to the deaths of the newborns and examine the response to the emergency.

— IANS