14 infants die in hospital fire in Islamabad

At least 14 newborn babies died in a fire that broke out early Wednesday at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the largest state hospital in Islamabad. The blaze engulfed the neonatal ward, according to a statement from the hospital administration.

Hospital spokesperson Dr. Aneeza Jalil told Dawn newspaper that 15 babies were in the ward at the time and that "one baby was saved by a doctor." Women who had just given birth were forced to run down several flights of stairs to evacuate the building.

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said many of the babies had been in incubators or on oxygen, and that the oxygen canisters had exacerbated the fire, according to The Guardian. Kamal suggested the blaze may have been caused by an air conditioner, but investigators were still at the scene and authorities had not confirmed the cause.

Repair works and construction were ongoing at the hospital at the time of the incident. The tragedy has raised concerns about fire safety in Pakistani hospitals, which have seen similar incidents in recent years.

According to Mehr News Agency, the fire was reported in the early hours of Wednesday. The hospital administration confirmed the death toll, and the health minister's remarks were reported by The Guardian. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.