Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
(26 Aug 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Islamabad - 26 August 2026
1. Wide of people crowded outside hospital
2. Various of broken windows
3. Man comforting father who lost his child
4. Woman and relative weeping
5. Various of security and people outside hospital
6. Wide of fire truck parked in front of hospital
7. Police tape near entrance to hospital
9. Wide of ambulance leaving
10. Wide of hospital
STORYLINE:
A fire erupted early Wednesday in a nursery for newborns at a major government hospital in Pakistan’s capital, killing 14 babies, according to hospital officials and the government.
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad housed at least 15 newborns in the nursery when the fire broke out, hospital officials said.
At least one baby was rescued, officials said, while Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed at least 14 babies had died.
Rescue officials said the fire began about 6:45 a.m. after an air-conditioning unit compressor exploded inside the nursery in the gynecology ward.
Firefighters quickly responded and extinguished the blaze and rescue teams began cooling operations at the site, local media reported.
The deaths of the children sent a wave of shock and grief across the country.
Police were deployed at the hospital as grieving parents and relatives gathered, some weeping while others called for accountability and demanded answers about how the fire began and whether the nursery had adequate firefighting equipment.
Mohammad Sami said she gave birth three days earlier and her baby was receiving intensive care in the nursery when the fire erupted.
Hospital officials told families that the bodies would be released after the necessary paperwork was completed, Sami said.
Kamal, the health minister, told local Geo News channel that he was traveling from Karachi to Islamabad to personally oversee the investigation.
He said the director-general of health and the federal health secretary were already at PIMS, one of Islamabad’s largest public hospitals, which recently was the site of a medical examination of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Officials were in contact with the families, according to Kamal, who said the immediate priority was to support the parents and return the infants’ bodies to them.
AP video shot by: Muhammad Yousaf
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: instagram.com/APNews
You can license this story through AP Archive: aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/741f989b9549409ca403439b57851521
(26 Aug 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Islamabad - 26 August 2026
1. Wide of people crowded outside hospital
2. Various of broken windows
3. Man comforting father who lost his child
4. Woman and relative weeping
5. Various of security and people outside hospital
6. Wide of fire truck parked in front of hospital
7. Police tape near entrance to hospital
9. Wide of ambulance leaving
10. Wide of hospital
STORYLINE:
A fire erupted early Wednesday in a nursery for newborns at a major government hospital in Pakistan’s capital, killing 14 babies, according to hospital officials and the government.
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad housed at least 15 newborns in the nursery when the fire broke out, hospital officials said.
At least one baby was rescued, officials said, while Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed at least 14 babies had died.
Rescue officials said the fire began about 6:45 a.m. after an air-conditioning unit compressor exploded inside the nursery in the gynecology ward.
Firefighters quickly responded and extinguished the blaze and rescue teams began cooling operations at the site, local media reported.
The deaths of the children sent a wave of shock and grief across the country.
Police were deployed at the hospital as grieving parents and relatives gathered, some weeping while others called for accountability and demanded answers about how the fire began and whether the nursery had adequate firefighting equipment.
Mohammad Sami said she gave birth three days earlier and her baby was receiving intensive care in the nursery when the fire erupted.
Hospital officials told families that the bodies would be released after the necessary paperwork was completed, Sami said.
Kamal, the health minister, told local Geo News channel that he was traveling from Karachi to Islamabad to personally oversee the investigation.
He said the director-general of health and the federal health secretary were already at PIMS, one of Islamabad’s largest public hospitals, which recently was the site of a medical examination of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Officials were in contact with the families, according to Kamal, who said the immediate priority was to support the parents and return the infants’ bodies to them.
AP video shot by: Muhammad Yousaf
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: instagram.com/APNews
You can license this story through AP Archive: aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/741f989b9549409ca403439b57851521
