Archdiocese of Melbourne Release: Wednesday 1 April 2015
Natasha Marsh, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
POLICE and fire crews are investigating a suspicious fire at St Mary’s Catholic Church on Foster Street in Dandenong.
It is thought two separate fires were lit in the church, one at the altar and the other in the storeroom where the vestments are kept. Emergency services were called at 2.30am.
It took the team of nearly 40 firefighters over an hour to control the blaze. The fire caused $250,000 worth of heat and smoke damage to the building.
Thankfully, the church was not destroyed. Parishioners of St Mary’s will attend Easter Masses and services in a makeshift hall at the nearby St Mary’s school.
This is the third fire of its kind to occur in three days.
The heritage-listed church of St James in Brighton was almost destroyed after a fire raged during the early hours of Monday 30 March. Although over 20 fire trucks and 80 firefighters battled the blaze, they were only able to save the façade of the 124 year-old building.
Just hours after the fire at St James, detectives were called to St Mary’s Church in St Kilda East, they were called to investigate a singed door. It is believed the fire that caused this was deliberately lit between Sunday night and Monday morning.
There has been speculation that the three fires are linked. Although, this has not been confirmed by authorities all three fires are being treated as ‘suspicious’ by the police.
Shane Healy, Director of Media and Communications for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, said that until more is known it is ‘best not to speculate’.
‘We would like to do what we can to allow the police to get on with their jobs.’Shared from Archdiocese of Melbourne
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