Marblehead Police and Fire Investigating Two Fires at Local Church

MARBLEHEAD — The Marblehead Fire and Police Departments, in cooperation with the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, are investigating two fires at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church. 

On Sunday, Sept. 28, at approximately 11:42 a.m., Marblehead Police and Fire responded to Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 85 Atlantic Ave., for reports of a small fire in the bathroom.

Marblehead Fire quickly extinguished the fire. The church was not damaged. 

A similar incident occurred on Sunday, Sept. 21. In each incident, small fires were reported and quickly contained, causing no permanent damage.

Both incidents were investigated by Marblehead Police and Fire Departments, with assistance from the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The initial results of the investigation led investigators to determine that the fires were intentionally set.

A 12-YEAR-OLD JUVENILE has been identified as the sole suspect. 

“We take all fire incidents seriously, no matter how small, and are grateful for the teamwork that helped us bring this case to a swift resolution,” said Fire Chief Jason Gilliland. “We are thankful to the parish staff for their vigilance, and to our partners in law enforcement who assisted in this investigation.”

“These incidents appear to be isolated, and there is no identifiable threat to the community or the parishioners at Star of the Sea Church. We are ever vigilant to protect our places of worship and appreciate the assistance of our public safety partners and the church staff to identify the individual responsible and hold them accountable,” stated Police Chief Dennis King. 

Marblehead Police and Fire would like to thank the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Fire Marshal’s Office for their cooperation and guidance throughout this investigation.

As this case involves a juvenile, Marblehead Police and Fire will not be releasing further details.

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