A tragedy at a hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan has led to 14 sets of parents mourning the loss of their newborn babies.
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A significant fire broke out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) last Wednesday (August 26). The fire primarily affected the labor and delivery unit. After an air conditioning unit malfunctioned and was set ablaze.
"An air conditioning unit caught fire. [The fire] was quickly ignited by oxygen connections," a spokesperson for the hospital told the BBC.
14 Newborns Dead After Tragic Fire
The spokesperson also told the outlet that the fire claimed the lives of "14 of the 15 babies who were in the ward at the time."
Pakistan's minister of state for interior also told the outlet that 7 babies, 10 mothers and 2 men were rescued from the fire. But it didn't soften the blow of the unspeakable tragedy once the story went viral.
"How horrible for these babies and their families... Jesus wept," one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"The same failed hospital they keep taking our Imran Khan to," a second user chimed in. Citing issues with PIMS in the past.
"This just made my chest hurt those poor innocent babies omg," a third user remarked.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif offered his condolences to the mourning families in a Facebook post.
"This heart-wrenching incident is deeply saddening. We share the grief of the parents. May Allah Almighty grant the bereaved patience," he wrote
(via PEOPLE).One firefighter who was a first responder to the blast spoke with Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity. Because he was not authorised to speak to the media. With the public looking for answers in the wake of the tragedy the firefighter said that the building was "inaccessible" upon arrival.
"When we tried to enter the building, it was inaccessible. And we could see smoke coming out from the building," the firefighter told the outlet (via Yahoo). "We had to break the concrete grills, behind which were windows. We had to break those windows, and through them we were able to rescue people."
