Pakistan suspends 8 officials after maternity ward fire kills 14 infants

Eight officials have been suspended and face potential criminal proceedings in Pakistan following a fire that killed 14 infants in a maternity ward in the capital. The blaze occurred shortly after 6:30 AM on Wednesday and rapidly engulfed the unit, with a nurse managing to save only one of the 15 infants present. Among the suspended officials are hospital staff, including the executive director and the head of the neonatal department, as well as the director general of Islamabad’s emergency services. A preliminary report by a committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif indicated the fire spread extremely quickly.

Investigators appointed by Pakistan's prime minister are visiting the hospital nursery in Islamabad where a fire killed 14 newborns on Wednesday. The blaze, which occurred on the third floor, spread rapidly, allowing staff to rescue only one baby out of fifteen. While initial reports suggested an exploding air-conditioning unit, the hospital's preliminary report indicated a nebulizer blast, exacerbated by high oxygen levels, as the cause. The investigating committee, expected to deliver urgent recommendations within 48 hours, will independently determine the fire's cause. In response to the tragedy, authorities have ordered reviews of fire safety measures at hospitals nationwide, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dismissed Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri. The UN children's agency, UNICEF, has called for an urgent review of safety standards at health facilities.

At least 14 newborn babies died in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday morning. The blaze originated from a fire in an air conditioning unit on the third floor of the mother and child unit. There were 15 babies in the ward at the time, with one successfully rescued. The babies were reportedly in incubators or on oxygen equipment, which can accelerate fires. In response to the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suspended Federal Secretary of Health Aslam Ghauri and expressed anger at some officials. Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes and slow rescue responses.

At least 14 newborn babies died in a fire that broke out in the maternity ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the largest state hospital in Islamabad, on Wednesday morning. Fifteen babies were in the ward when the blaze started, with one saved by a doctor. The fire, potentially caused by an air conditioner, was exacerbated by oxygen canisters, according to the health minister. The prime minister has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident, calling for those responsible to face strict action. Relatives gathered outside the hospital's mortuary as authorities investigated the cause of the fire, which occurred amidst ongoing repair and construction work.

A fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad on Wednesday morning killed at least 14 newborns in the hospital's nursery. The blaze, which reportedly started after an air conditioning unit compressor exploded, was contained to the nursery ward. One infant was rescued by a doctor. In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif removed Health Secretary Aslam Ghauri from office and ordered an immediate investigation. President Asif Ali Zardari offered condolences to the families, calling the deaths a "heartbreaking and an irreparable loss." Grieving families expressed their sorrow as authorities secured the scene.