Fire at Evangelical Church in Rosario Leaves Two Injured
An 18-year-old was taken to a polyclinic; the other injured man, 46, was treated at the scene.
Two men, ages 18 and 46, suffered burns Saturday morning during a fire at the evangelical church in Rosario, Argentina, according to CRprensa. The fire started in the kitchen of the building.
A warehouse at Arévalo 6230
The fire broke out in the warehouse where the congregation Discípulos de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo meets, at Arévalo 6230. According to the police report, the flames started in the kitchen area while food was being prepared for a community service event. Authorities say a gas leak from a propane tank caused the fire.
The two men who were there tried to contain the flames and ended up with injuries to the face and upper limbs. One is 18 years old; the other is 46.
«Serving your neighbor is not free of risk, and that doesn't make it any less valuable.»
A church can meet in a warehouse, and that doesn't make it any less a church. The building is not what is sacred; the people who gather are. When fire enters a place like that, what gets interrupted is the work of real people, not an abstract event.
Firefighters and medical personnel at the scene
Police officers, firefighters and medical personnel arrived at the warehouse. The Sistema Integrado de Emergencias Sanitarias (SIES) treated the two injured men. The 18-year-old was taken to the Policlínico San Martín for treatment of his burns. The 46-year-old was assisted at the site and did not need hospitalization.
Bomberos Zapadores, Bomberos Voluntarios de Rosario and officers from the Comando Radioeléctrico took part. Firefighters put out the fire and carried out preventive work so it would not spread inside the warehouse.
The community service event was put on hold
The food being prepared for the service day was left unfinished because of the emergency. Authorities did not report any other property damage or any other people affected.
The detail is worth pausing on: the congregation was cooking to serve others when the accident happened. Serving your neighbor is not free of risk, and that doesn't make it any less valuable. Nor is it a guarantee that everything will go well. Scripture grounds love for our neighbor in something firmer: "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10, ESV). The verse doesn't ask for results; it asks for faithfulness when there is opportunity.
It is worth praying for the two injured men, for their families, and for the congregation that had to change its plans on Saturday. Also for the firefighters and health personnel who responded quickly. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1, ESV).
If your church organizes meals or community service days, here is one concrete step for this week: check the condition of the gas tanks and connections with a responsible adult before lighting the fire. Stewardship is practiced in the kitchen, too. And share this story so more people will pray for Rosario.
