CALGARY — A prayer of thanks planned for 10 men injured in a massive house explosion in late March has been delayed after three survivors met setbacks in their recovery.
A month ago, all of those injured were out of hospital, prompting members of Calgary's South Sudanese community to plan an event to give thanks for the men's survival and to those who helped the victims climb out of the home's fiery basement to safety.
However, that was cancelled last week when one of the injured men was brought in for further surgery as a result of problems with skin grafts, while operations are being scheduled for another two.
"Those three are still suffering because when they made the operation, they took some skin from their legs to their hands to their face and when they are trying to heal the skin that they took, it shrank. That is what is keeping them in so much pain," said Deng Deng Tiordit, chairman of the Twic Community Association of Canada.
"This is the suffering of the three. The others, their burns were not as deep, deep, deep."
The blast saw many of those injured blown into the air before falling into a fiery basement below. It also damaged several other homes and sent part of the roof of the house that blew up into a yard across the street. Six had life-threatening injuries.
Tiordit said the three most badly injured men were sedated for much of their time in hospital, including one who was expected to require up to six months of care. He said it is a miracle nobody has died, given the injuries.
"The medical (care) here is good, but if it was maybe Africa, they were supposed to be dead. They saved them and they try everything to save them and that's what happened."
Tiordit said the plan to give thanks isn't cancelled, just postponed.
"I cancelled it until they get OK."
Many of those injured lost everything in the blast. Efforts are still underway to replace their lost belongings and official papers, and find permanent housing.
Less than $30,000 was raised in a GoFundMe campaign to help the injured.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2023.
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
