Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended a senior health official following the death of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the maternity unit of a hospital in Islamabad.
Diaspora Digital Media reported that the fire broke out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and started in an air-conditioning unit before spreading rapidly after coming into contact with oxygen connections, according to a hospital spokesperson.
There were 15 newborn babies in the ward when the fire started.
Hospital officials confirmed that only one baby was rescued, while 14 others died.
Sharif has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident, with a fact-finding committee directed to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess whether adequate fire-safety measures were in place.
The committee has been given 24 hours to submit its report.
The development has also raised questions about safety arrangements at the maternity unit.
The father of one of the victims criticised the hospital’s safety measures, claiming that only one door was available for visitors while other doors were kept closed.
However, PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikander told the BBC that the maternity ward door was not locked, but was being manned by security personnel.
He said the measure was intended to prevent babies from being stolen, noting that such incidents had occurred previously at government hospitals.
Meanwhile, grieving families have gathered outside the hospital as authorities continue their response to the tragedy.
Many parents were seen in tears, with one father telling the BBC that his three-day-old baby was among those who died.
The deaths have triggered renewed concerns about fire-safety standards in Pakistani hospitals and whether adequate emergency measures were in place to protect vulnerable patients, particularly newborn babies.
DDM will continue to monitor the situation as event unfolds.
