ISLAMABAD, Aug 26: At least 15 infants were feared dead after a fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a major public hospital in Islamabad, on Wednesday.
The fire reportedly erupted around 7 am in the ward, where 15 babies were present, according to PIMS spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil.
However, there was no official confirmation of the reported death toll.
Dr Jalil told Dawn that some infants may have been discharged during the night and that the exact number of casualties could not yet be confirmed.
She said the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit. The blaze has been extinguished, although cooling operations were still underway.
PIMS is the largest public hospital in Pakistan's capital and is among the country's major medical facilities.
