At least 15 infants were killed when a fire broke out at a state-run hospital in Pakistan's capital city Islamabad, triggered by a fault in air conditioning systems, local broadcaster Geo TV reported today (26 August).
The fire, which broke out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, started around two hours ago, the broadcaster said, adding that "cooling operations" were ongoing.
There were 16 newborns at the hospital's gynaecology ward when the fire broke out, one of whom was rescued, according to Geo.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to conduct an immediate investigation, his office said.
"Those responsible should be identified, and the strictest action should be taken," Sharif's office said in a statement.
The ward was cordoned off, and ambulances were seen outside the hospital building, according to a Reuters witness.
PIMS, centrally located in Islamabad where former Prime Minister Imran Khan was briefly treated last week, is one of the main public hospitals of the city.
Pakistan / Islamabad / Hospital Fire
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