Fire Damages Somerville Greek Orthodox Church

SOMERVILLE, MA — A two-alarm fire damaged the Greek Orthodox Church on Central Street Wednesday night.

Firefighters arrived at the scene shortly after 7:20 p.m. and found the fire burning in the front vestibule of the church, with heavy smoke inside, Fire Chief Charles Breen said.

"Fires in churches can present a number of challenges due to high ceilings and void spaces," Breen wrote in an email. "A second alarm was quickly sounded, bringing all Somerville fire companies and assistance from Cambridge to the scene."

The fire was confined to the front vestibule; however, the interior of the church sustained extensive smoke damage, and there was water damage to the basement kitchen area.

The fire is not considered suspicious. Breen said initial reports that the fire was gas fed were "unfounded."

The building was unoccupied at the time. Breen credited the church's working fire alarm system with quickly notifying the fire department and saving the church from potentially becoming a total loss.