At 7:21 p.m. on Wednesday, September 15, the Somerville Fire Department received a fire alarm from fire box 2143 which is located at the Greek Orthodox Church at 29 Central Street. Fire companies arrived within minutes from the Somerville Avenue fire station. An active fire was found burning in the front vestibule of the church with a very heavy smoke condition inside. The building was unoccupied at the time. Fires in churches can present a number of challenges due to high ceilings and void spaces. 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 suffered extensive smoke damage and water damage to a basement kitchen area. The fire remains under investigation but is not considered suspicious. Initial reports that the fire was gas fed were unfounded. The properly working fire alarm system which provided immediate notification to the fire department via the city alarm box system no doubt saved the church from what could have been a total loss.