The fire started after an air conditioner compressor exploded inside the nursery at the hospital on Wednesday morning.

Islamabad: At least 15 newborns were killed after a fire broke out in a state-run hospital in Pakistan’s capital city, Islamabad. The fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, where 16 infants were housed in a nursery.

Citing rescue officials, Pakistan’s Geo News reported that only one newborn could be rescued alive.

The broadcaster reported that the fire started after an air conditioner compressor exploded at 6:45am on Wednesday morning inside the nursery at the hospital.

Videos of the rescue operation posted on social media showed firefighters entering the nursery, located on the third floor of the hospital, by breaking the glass of the window.

District administration officials told Geo News that 14 newborns were completely charred in the fire in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) ward. The hospital has 156 beds in its MCH unit, according to its website.

Rescue officials said that the blaze had been extinguished and teams were carrying out cooling operations at the site.

An inquiry committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the additional deputy commissioner to investigate the incident.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has released a statement expressing “deep sorrow and heartfelt regret” over the tragedy. He said that he has instructed authorities to “conduct an immediate investigation.”

“Such a situation with children is irreparable”, the statement read.

PIMS is the same hospital where former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was taken for medical examination after a court-mandated health checkup.