Fire Damages Historic St. Mary's Church, Services Postponed

Image of Tower unit operating at rear of St. Mary's at about 7 pm (Ethan McCarthy Earls photo)

UPDATE: DUE TO THE FIRE AT ST. MARY'S CHURCH TONIGHT WEDNESDAY OCT. 23rd, FR. JOHN L. "JACK" SULLIVAN'S VISITATION AND FUNERAL MASS SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 24th, HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

BELOW UPDATE FROM PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY FRANKLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT LATE WEDNESDAY EVENING:

At 5:45 pm, the Metacomet Emergency Communication Center received a fire alarm from a central station monitoring company for 1 Church Square, followed by a caller reporting fire at the back of St. Mary's Church.

Franklin Fire units were dispatched and a working fire assignmenet was quickly struck bringing in mutual aid from Norfolk, Wrentham, Medway, Bellingham, and Plainville.

A fire in the rear sacristy was quickly extinguished by the initial arriving crews. There was a significant amount of smoke throughout the entire Church. Personnel remained on scene for a period of time to ventilate the building.

This fire is under investigation by the Franklin Fire Department, Franklin Police Department, The State Fire Marshal's Office, and the ATF.

The Foxboro Fire Department provided station coverage.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

Franklin Fire Department received a report of fire at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church just before 6pm on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Smoke was visible coming from the rear of the church in an area between the steeple and Oak Street Extension. Apparatus from Franklin, Norfolk, Wrentham, and Medway and Foxboro responded as well as Franklin Police. A substantial crowd, many parishoners at the church, also gathered.

Some firefighters with breathing apparatus were seen going into the church, which was filled with acrid smoke, and powerful fans were deployed at the front of the church to try to pull fumes out.

Hand carried ladders were used to access a lower window at the rear while the Franklin tower unit and crews examined the roof of the rear of the church.

According to New England Fire News reports, thermal imaging helped to confirm fire in the rafters.

At 7:20 a medical call to school street required a Foxboro engine and Bellingham ambulance, presumably due to the limited numberm of Franklin people available.

This story will be updated as information becomes available.