Fire breaks out at Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan

A fire broke out in an operation theatre at Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan, with rescue officials saying a short circuit caused the blaze and smoke spread through the hospital.

Patients inside the operation theatre were immediately evacuated, while rescue teams continued efforts to bring the fire under control, according to officials.

Deputy commissioner takes notice

Rahim Yar Khan Deputy Commissioner Zaheer Anwar took notice of the incident and sought an immediate report.

He directed the Assistant Commissioner Rahim Yar Khan to reach the site and assess the situation. The administration said the cause of the fire and the hospital’s safety arrangements were being reviewed.

The hospital administration was asked to provide complete details and a report on the incident. Officials said the facts would emerge after an investigation.

The incident came four days after a fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of Lahore General Hospital. No deaths were reported, and 70 people, including pregnant women, were safely evacuated from the ward.

According to the hospital administration, the fire started in the exhaust fan system, filling the ward and an adjoining corridor with smoke. A security guard fell ill due to the smoke and received emergency medical treatment. His condition later improved and was reported to be out of danger.

Lahore General Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Faryad Hussain said fire safety training provided to hospital staff proved effective during the incident.

He said trained staff acted quickly to control the fire using fire extinguishers without requiring outside assistance. No one was injured and no deaths were reported, while patients and children also remained safe, according to Hussain.

PIMS fire killed 14 newborns

On Aug. 26, 2026, a fire at the neonatal ward of Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) killed 14 newborn babies in the nursery.

The fire broke out at 6:54am on the third floor of the hospital’s neonatal ward, which provides intensive care for newborns.

The Capital Development Authority’s Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management later issued an initial report. It said the fire alert was received at 6:54am on Aug. 26 and fire and rescue teams reached the site within six minutes. The initial report said heavy smoke was seen coming from the nursery.

The CDA report identified an electrical short circuit or plug overloading as possible causes of the fire. It also said fire and life safety arrangements in the nursery did not meet the required standards, while emergency exits and routes were permanently blocked from outside or had obstructions in front of them.

According to the report, hospital security staff hindered the initial firefighting response, while adequate crowd management was also absent at the site.