14 infants killed in fire at Islamabad hospital nursery

At least 14 infants were killed in a fire that swept through a nursery in the gynecology ward of Pakistan's largest public hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The blaze, which broke out in the early morning at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), was reportedly triggered by an explosion in an air conditioning compressor.

The fire erupted on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital ward at approximately 6:45 a.m. local time. According to the district administration, 16 newborns were in the nursery at the time. Rescue teams arrived immediately, deploying six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances to the scene. The fire was brought under control, but officials stated that 14 children were completely burnt in the incident. One infant was rescued by a doctor and shifted to the intensive care unit.

Islamabad's Chief Commissioner, Sohail Ashraf, confirmed that an emergency fire call was made just before 7 a.m. and that rescue teams had controlled the blaze. A hospital spokesperson, Dr. Aneeza Jalil, told reporters that the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit, while rescue sources cited an air conditioner compressor explosion as...