Fire at Islamabad Hospital Kills 15 Infants, Short Circuit Suspected

A devastating fire broke out at a major public hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday, with reports claiming that at least 15 infants were killed after flames engulfed a ward in the early hours of the morning.

The fire erupted at around 7 am in a gynaecology ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), one of the largest and best-equipped public hospitals in Pakistan's capital. While television reports said 15 babies had died, hospital authorities said the exact number of casualties was still being determined.

PIMS spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil said there were 15 babies in the ward where the fire broke out. However, she cautioned that some of them might have been discharged during the night, making it difficult for authorities to immediately confirm how many were present at the time of the incident.

“Some of the babies may have been discharged during the night, so the exact number of casualties cannot be shared right now,” she said.

According to the hospital spokesperson, the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit. Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames, though cooling operations were expected to continue for some time.

The incident has raised serious concerns over fire safety and emergency preparedness at a hospital that serves as a major healthcare facility for residents of Islamabad and surrounding areas. The immediate focus remains on establishing the fate of all the infants who were in or connected to the affected ward when the fire broke out.

With conflicting accounts emerging over the death toll, authorities are expected to provide further clarity after verifying hospital records and completing the initial assessment of the tragedy. The suspected electrical short circuit will also likely come under scrutiny as officials investigate how the blaze spread through the ward.

As families await confirmed information, the incident has cast a shadow over Pakistan's capital, turning what began as an ordinary morning at one of its busiest hospitals into a major human tragedy.