Fire At Fairfield Church Causes 'Tens Of Thousands' In Damage

FAIRFIELD, CT — An overnight fire did not stop Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church from holding its Sunday Mass, same as always.

The church community moved its services into the chapel of an auxiliary building after the main church structure at 545 Stratfield Road suffered tens of thousands of dollars in fire and smoke damage during the early morning hours Sunday, according to Assistant Chief Roger Caisse.

The blaze was reported about 1:45 a.m. by a passerby, and firefighters arrived within minutes, Caisse said.

When emergency personnel reached the scene, fire and smoke were coming through the roof of the front left section of the church, according to Caisse, who said about 30 firefighters brought the blaze under control in roughly 45 minutes.

“There’s heavy smoke damage throughout the church,” Caisse said, characterizing the cost of the fire as “certainly tens of thousands.”

No one was injured, and while interior walls and a section of the roof will need to be demolished and rebuilt, the Assumption congregation may well celebrate Mass in their main church building again.

“The building is 100 percent salvagable,” Caisse said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although Caisse noted there was an area for votive candle offerings and an electrical outlet in the part of the church where the blaze began.

The damage was limited in part because someone saw the fire and notified authorities when they did.

“We’re very fortunately a passerby reported it,” Caisse said. “Somebody helped out in a big way there.”

Bridgeport firefighters assisted on scene and with station coverage, and Westport firefighters also helped out with station coverage during the blaze.