A deadly fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad, leaving at least 15 infants dead, officials said Wednesday. According to Pims officials, the nursery housed 16 newborns at the time of the incident, of whom only one was rescued. Rescue sources said the fire started at 6:45am after an air-conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery at the hospital situated in the federal capital.

According to the district administration, 14 children were completely burnt in the fire that broke out on the third floor of the MCH ward. Rescue teams reached the site immediately after receiving information, the district administration said, adding that six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances took part in the rescue operations. However, eyewitnesses stated that the hospital staff did not use fire extinguishing equipment to put out the blaze.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said that the rescue team reached the hospital within six minutes of receiving the fire alert. Speaking to the media in the federal capital, the minister said that all administrative officers were present at the hospital immediately after the rescue operation, and the bodies of the children had been handed over to their families.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an immediate investigation and called for strict action against those found responsible for the tragedy. Expressing grief over the deaths, the prime minister chaired a high-level meeting and ordered the immediate suspension of Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori from his post, while an inquiry committee led by former interior secretary Shahid Khan was formed to probe the incident.