Fire damages historic St. Mary’s Church

Image of the tower unit operating behind St. Mary’s around 7 p.m. (Photo by Ethan McCarthy Earls)

The Franklin Fire Department received a report of a fire at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23rd.

Smoke could be seen from the rear of the church in an area between the steeple and Oak Street Extension. Emergency crews from Franklin, Norfolk, Wrentham, Medway and Foxboro responded, as did Franklin police. A sizeable crowd also gathered, many parishioners of the church.

Some firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were seen entering the church, which was filled with acrid smoke, and powerful fans were used at the front of the church to try to suck out the fumes.

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

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

At 7:20 a.m., a medical call on School Street required a Foxboro engine and a Bellingham ambulance, presumably due to the limited number of Franklin people available.

This story will be updated as information becomes available.