It is with a sad heart that I share today’s brief message. The nursing home where I volunteer broke out in flames this afternoon.
By the grace of God, and through the fantastic work of the staff and first responders, there were no injuries. All residents have safely evacuated.
The building sustained extensive damage, and the future of the nursing home is unknown. Our residents are moving to other healthcare facilities in North Dakota and Minnesota.
My heart hurts for the residents, their families, and the nursing home staff. I can’t begin to imagine how scary this experience was for them or how they feel in the face of an uncertain future. Please keep them in your prayers.
Update 1/25/20: The cause of the fire remains unknown. If you or your residents would like to send cards of encouragement to our displaced residents, you can send them to this address:
Chaplaincy Services, Elim Care Center, 3534 University Drive South, Fargo, ND 58104
Update 1/30/20: Thank you so much to all of you for remembering the nursing home with your prayers and kind words. If you haven’t already done so, I hope you’ll send an encouraging note to our residents. Although we’re so very grateful that nobody got hurt in the fire, this remains a difficult time.
The residents didn’t get to choose where they went after the evacuation; they had to go to any nearby nursing homes that had empty beds. In many cases, this meant going out of town.
Most of the residents left the burning building with little more than the clothes on their backs. They don’t know when or if their other possessions are salvageable or when someone can enter the building to retrieve them. The residents need all the support they can get.
The good news is that the children’s center has found a new temporary location. They opened their doors yesterday, and the children can use the building until May. It’s such a blessing for the children to stay with familiar friends and teachers during this challenging time.
Update 2/2/20: I’m happy to report that they decided to rebuild the nursing home. However, it may take 1-2 years for this to happen. In the meantime, 177 employees lost their jobs.
I feel sad that I can no longer go to the nursing home to volunteer, and they no longer need me on the advisory board. Yet, what I’m experiencing is nothing compared to what these employees are going through.
Fortunately, there are lots of job openings for CNAs and nurses in the area, so I’m sure they’ll be back to work soon. However, it may not be so easy for people in roles such as activities or medical records to find new jobs. Please keep these employees in your prayers.
Update 2/8/20: Fire investigators have determined that the cause of the fire was an overheated electrical component in an attic space. A professional recovery team has now entered the building to remove as many of the residents’ possessions as possible. However, they estimate that only about 10% will be salvageable because of extensive fire, smoke, and water damage.
Update 2/20/20: Our nursing home chaplain, Pastor Dave, recently participated in a radio interview. I think he did a terrific job of summarizing what’s been happening since the fire. You can find it here on YouTube.
The outpouring of support from the community has been nothing short of amazing. Thank you again to each of you who sent cards and letters to our displaced residents.
Leave a Reply