14 Children Killed in Fire at Maternity Ward in Pakistan's Capital

A fire at a maternity ward in Islamabad, Pakistan, killed 14 children on Wednesday, according to the Islamabad district office, in a tragedy that has renewed concerns about fire safety standards in the country.

The blaze broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health Ward at the public Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, authorities said.

"A total of 14 children died in the incident," the district office said in a statement, without providing the ages of the victims.

Emergency Teams Respond to Hospital Fire

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf said emergency teams, specialists and police officers were dispatched to the hospital after the alarm was raised.

Ashraf said he also went to the scene as rescue teams worked to bring the fire under control.

The emergency call was received shortly before 7:00 a.m. local time, or 0200 GMT, he said.

Authorities have not yet released further details about the cause of the fire or provided information about the circumstances that led to the deaths.

An investigation is expected to determine how the fire started and whether safety procedures at the hospital were adequately followed.

Pakistan Faces Persistent Fire Safety Concerns

The tragedy comes against a backdrop of recurring deadly fires in large buildings across Pakistan.

Safety experts and authorities have repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate enforcement of fire safety regulations, weak building codes and insufficient emergency preparedness.

In January, more than 65 people were reportedly killed in a fire at a shopping centre in Karachi. Another shopping mall fire in the city in 2023 killed at least 11 people.

In 2021, at least 16 workers died in a factory fire in Karachi.

One of the country's deadliest industrial fires occurred in 2012, when at least 250 workers were killed after a blaze engulfed a garment factory in Karachi's Baldia Town. The facility did not have a fire escape, highlighting the potentially devastating consequences of inadequate safety measures.

Investigation Underway

The deaths at the PIMS hospital are likely to intensify calls for stronger enforcement of fire safety standards in public institutions, particularly hospitals where patients may be unable to evacuate without assistance.

Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the Islamabad fire and examine the hospital's emergency response and safety systems.

The incident has left families mourning the loss of 14 children and renewed questions about whether Pakistan's public facilities are adequately equipped to protect vulnerable patients during emergencies.