Islamabad hospital fire kills at least 14 newborns

Herz — World Desk · 26 August 2026 at 06:05 · 30s summary · 1 min read

What is known

At least 14 newborns died on August 26, 2026, in a fire at a nursery in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, a public hospital in Islamabad, ABC reported, citing Geo TV.

A dpa report published by Die Zeit put the death toll at 15. Hospital officials said at least 15 newborns were in the nursery when the fire began.

How the fire unfolded

1. About 6:45 a.m. local time
   The fire begins in the nursery attached to the hospital's gynecology department.
2. After the fire begins
   Firefighters respond, extinguish the blaze and conduct cooling operations at the hospital.
3. August 26, 2026
   Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif orders authorities to open an immediate investigation.

The reported cause

Local emergency services attributed the fire to an air-conditioning failure. ABC reported that the compressor of an air conditioner may have exploded inside the nursery.

Firefighters quickly brought the flames under control. Emergency teams then continued cooling operations at the hospital.

The figures