Orion Township parish springs into action to help neighbors after condo explosion

Nov. 19 blast across the street from Christ the Redeemer Parish left two critically injured, dozens homeless before holidays

ORION TOWNSHIP — Fr. Bill Promesso saw the massive flames just as he was arriving at Christ the Redeemer Parish around 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19, ahead of the Orion Township parish's 7 p.m. Tuesday night Mass.

“When I got out of my car, I saw the fire,” Fr. Promesso told Detroit Catholic. “We had eight people at Mass that evening; access to our complex was only available in one direction because there were so many emergency vehicles.”

Just minutes earlier, an explosion had rocked the Keatington New Town Association condominium complex, located just across Waldon Road from the parish, leveling two buildings and severely damaging several other units.

Two people were injured in the blast, which officials believe was caused by a gas leak, and dozens were left temporarily homeless.

Fr. Promesso and the staff at Christ the Redeemer immediately sprang into action. As soon as Mass was over, staff and parishioners contacted first responders and officials who were overseeing the emergency response to see what they could do.

“We are right across the street, and we asked if there was anything we could do to help,” Fr. Promesso said. “They said they were good, but we said, ‘I'll tell you what, we have people in our parking lot who can’t get into their homes because of the traffic with all the emergency response vehicles. Let’s open so people can use our restrooms.'”

Once the doors were opened, displaced residents began coming into the church, turning the parish into a rallying point for residents and first responders even as firefighters continued to battle the blaze, search for potential victims and evacuate neighboring units. A Christ the Redeemer staff member put on a pot of coffee, and as word began to spread, local restaurants started delivering food.

While many of the displaced residents had friends or family where they could temporarily stay, at least two people had nowhere to go that night, Fr. Promesso said.

“We had two people spend the night; we had staff members who took turns staying up and being present at the parish,” Fr. Promesso said. “Our staff mobilized very quickly; we could all reach each other very fast with text messages. So the minute we knew we were going to open up the building, I had staff members here."

The parish provided pillows and blankets, and staff were available throughout the night to attend to any needs.

"We broke up the evening into slots; I was here until midnight, others were here until 3 in the morning, and others came in at 3 and stayed until 7 or 8," Fr. Promesso said. "Local restaurants were bringing in food for breakfast and lunch the next day. All of this was happening at the same time; it was pretty amazing.”

Since the explosion, Christ the Redeemer and neighboring churches have served as common areas for the community, as local nonprofits and first responders organize ways to help.

Many of Keatington's still standing units have blown out windows, damaged frames and potential foundation issues resulting from the blast, and authorities are continuing to assess the safety of the area.

“For the rest of the week, the Red Cross used our facility to meet with displaced residents, and the township tried to coordinate with local churches and businesses,” Fr. Promesso said.

The quick and nimble response from parish staff and volunteers earned praise from Fr. Promesso, who offered words of encouragement during his homily the following Sunday.

“I was so proud of everybody, but I wasn’t surprised,” Fr. Promesso said. “We have an amazingly generous and deeply involved, very compassionate staff. All it took was one set of text messages to make this happen. Our Christian service coordinators (Karen Swietlik and Therese Mahoney) kicked right in and did what they did so well in coordinating all pieces. It was just amazing to watch it.”

Miraculously, no one was killed in the explosion, and the two people who were hospitalized have since been released. Orion Township officials are coordinating relief efforts for those affected, including temporary shelter, food, clothing or monetary donations.

Fr. Promesso has toured the wreckage of the condominium, which township officials have since condemned as uninhabitable. Residents are still picking through the rubble, trying to find whatever keepsakes they can, including many missing pets.

Unlike most Christian service projects or community outreach, Christ the Redeemer's response to the emergency wasn't planned or organized through a committee; it was simply a Christian response to a neighbor in need, Fr. Promesso explained.

A week since the explosion, things have returned to a normal schedule at Christ the Redeemer — but parish members know life won't be normal for their neighbors for a while.

In the meantime, the parish stands as a place for members of the parish and community to gather, ready to serve their brothers and sisters with the heart of Jesus Christ.

“It’s an affirmation of the fact people did kick in so fast to respond to the emergency,” Fr. Promesso said. “It shows people have learned the lesson that love of God and love of neighbor go together.”