As if our community hasn’t suffered enough from fire in recent months, the suspicious blaze at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church at University Avenue and Fordham?Road further alarmed residents already shell-shocked from the two horrific blazes in the merchant district of Bainbridge Avenue and East 204th Street.

Luckily, the destruction was limited to the church’s large vestibule, and the pastor, Father Joseph Girone, says he expects services to resume in the magnificent sanctuary by Easter.

Still, people are rightly worried that the fire was deliberately set and the Fire Department has deemed the Tolentine fire “very suspicious.”

This comes on top of the arrest of an alleged arsonist responsible for the December fire on East 204th Street.

And residents are anxiously awaiting news on what (or who) was responsible for the Halloween blaze that destroyed 10 stores on Bainbridge Avenue just up the block from 204th Street. The Fire Department has yet to issue any findings on its investigation.

The Bronx has a tragic history involving arson that razed much of the south Bronx. There is obviously no comparison to what happened then and what is happening now, but it is upsetting nonetheless that central gathering points in our communities may be a target for arsonists.

At the very least, this recent collection of tragic events warrants much closer scrutiny by the mayor’s office, the Fire Department, and other city agencies.