Crime & Safety

Union Square Fire Causes at Least $35K in Damage

Three firefighters suffered injuries while fighting the fire.

A Wednesday night fire at a bakery in Union Square caused at least $35,000 in damage, probably more, according to Chief Kevin Kelleher of the Somerville Fire Department.

Three firefighters were injured while fighting the blaze, Kelleher said. Though two of those injuries were minor, one firefighter was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital with an abdominal injury. That firefighter has subsequently been released and "he's doing fine," the fire chief said.

Kelleher said the cause of the fire "appears to be accidental," and was likely the result of faulty electrical wiring.

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The fire, which broke out at around 7 p.m. in the building that's home to Fiesta Bakery & Restaurant, caused officials to close down Somerville Avenue as firefighters battled the fire.

The fire started in the basement or between the basement and first floor of the one-story building, at 316 Somerville Ave., and it spread up the building and through the roof, Kelleher said.

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He said the firefighters "did tremendous work," especially in the cold weather. What's more, the old building contained multiple false ceilings and roofs, he said, which made it difficult for firefighters to get access to the fire, which was behind the walls and in the ceiling.

The fire chief said there was evidence of a previous fire at the site, believed to have taken place in 1978. As a result, many structural elements in the building were already weakened. There was "serious structural damage" to the building after Wednesday's fire, Kelleher said.

The fire chief said the city's Inspectional Services Division will determine whether or not to condemn the building.


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