[3166] Sin-Lau Hospital and Tainan Presbytery respond to Beimen hospital fire

Sin-Lau Hospital and Tainan Presbytery respond to Beimen hospital fire

Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan, Song Yu-ren

Written by Lydia Ma

A severe pre-dawn fire occurred at the Beimen Branch of the Department of Health Sinying Hospital in a rural part of Tainan on October 23, 2012. Because of problems arising from moving severely ill patients out of the nursing home on the second floor of the hospital building on time, 13 patients died in the fire. Patients who survived sustained some injuries and they were sent to two nearby PCT hospitals immediately – Tainan Sinlau Hospital and Madou Sinlau Hospital. In response to this tragedy, Tainan Presbytery Church and Society Division representatives visited funeral homes to offer help and support to families who had lost loved ones.

During the afternoon of October 23, a few pastors from Tainan Presbytery, including Rev. Wang Tsan-sheng (who currently serves as moderator of the presbytery), Soong Hsin-hsi, and Rev. Chi Chia-Sheng went to Tainan City Funeral Home to offer their condolences and give to each family an offering of NT$10,000. Asked by reporters who did not know who they were, Wang said, “We represent the Church and Society Division of Tainan Presbytery, which is part of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. The Bible teaches us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. So, we are here today to reach out and support these families.”

As the victims’ family members rushed to the funeral home to identify their loved ones, firefighters directed pastors to the families of the victims. They went over to them to offer their condolences and to give them an envelope containing the money. “We are here to reach out to you on behalf of the Presbyterian Church. Our God loves you and our God will comfort you,” they said. The victims’ families were visibly distraught but they also expressed their gratitude.

Rev. Soong said that this visit was only the first step because he and his colleagues would visit victims who were hospitalized in a few days. He will also contact local churches located in the vicinity of families who lost a loved one so that local pastors can visit them, comfort them, and do follow-up.

As for patients who were injured by the fire and sent to Madou Sinlau Hospital and Tainan Sinlau Hospital, 7 were sent to Madou, but 1 was declared dead on arrival. Meanwhile, 5 were sent to Tainan and 3 of them were admitted to the ICU due to severe breathing problems.