At approximately 9 a.m. on August 21, a fire broke out in a staff residence at Kudjip Nazarene Mission Station in Papua New Guinea. There were no injuries.

The cause of the fire is unknown. It started in one unit of a triplex and quickly spread to the other two units. Two small temporary buildings were also destroyed. The units are all occupied by staff members of Kudjip Nazarene Hospital. No one was in the units at the time.

All three families lost most of their possessions, though quick-acting neighbors and passers-by were able to retrieve items out of the second and third units before they caught fire. Others, including hospital staff members and missionaries, rushed to the scene intending to help, but there was little that could be done.

The fire is not believed to be related to the current drought in PNG. Kudjip Station has had several minor grass fires in the past weeks due to the dry conditions, but the house fire appeared to begin within the house. No other buildings were threatened.

The house was in an area known as “Airstrip,” a reference to the runway that was located there in the early days of the station. It is occupied primarily by hospital staff. No missionary homes are located in the area.

Nazarene Health Ministries has provided alternative housing and emergency funds. Co-workers, neighbors, and missionaries have donated clothing, food, money, and other essentials.

Unit residents include two community health workers (similar to a certified nurse aid in the USA) and the medical records officer. All are long-term staff members.

Kudjip Station includes the hospital, Nazarene College of Nursing, and the Melanesia/South Pacific Field offices. 

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific Region