Pictured at the fire scene are, from left, Fire Chief John Olivieri, Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Belleville Mayor Michael Melham surveying the damage from the fire that reduced a block to ash and rubble.
May was a big month in Belleville.
One of the biggest fires in township history destroyed a city block drawing national attention to Belleville, which also saw two-term Mayor Michael Melham lose his reelection bid to 24-year-old Councilman Frank Velez.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill paid a visit to the township to survey the damage wrought by the 12-alarm fire that reduced a city block to rubble and ash. A somber mood and the acrid odor of smoldering debris filled the air as Sherrill comforted Belleville’s first responders who were still weary from battling the blaze and spoke to heartbroken entrepreneurs who watched their businesses go up in flames.
Stepping over puddles left behind by firehoses, Sherrill was led on a tour of the industrial section-turned-burnt-out block by Melham.
As she looked at the charred husk of the building at 357 Cortland Ave. – the last structure standing, and barely at that – Melham told her of the heroic efforts of the 70-member Belleville Fire Department and other township first responders who reacted quickly to save lives and property.
“It’s a horrible, horrible fire that took place,” Sherrill said. “To see that nobody was hurt and to have the men and women who were working around the clock to make sure that happened, it just shows you once again, which I keep pointing out here in the state, that we have the best public servants in the nation, the best firefighters. And, I think that’s why you see that despite the 12- or 14-alarm fire that just took place right here, everyone was safe at the end of the day.”
During the tour, Melham and Sherrill visited the Belleville Police Department’s Mobile Command Center.
The mayor also pointed out another command unit established up the block from the burning warehouses. Belleville Fire Chief John Olivieri said this was the spot residents would come to drop off bags of food, cases of bottled water and offer wishes of gratitude.
“The residents’ outpouring of generosity, as well as the brave work of firefighters from many other towns, it all meant a lot to our guys,” Olivieri said. “A lot of our guys worked some long hours. We were on this fire round the clock for days. What the residents did, just by coming by with water, with food, it really lifted their spirits during an extraordinarily challenging time.”
He noted two firefighters sustained minor injuries while battling the blaze.
Two nearby homes, including a four-family dwelling, were also destroyed when embers from the burning warehouse ignited them.
Belleville Public Schools were forced to close their doors as several local roadways were closed to traffic. Also, water pressure in the schools became low as firefighters continued to douse the fire.
The building that housed the Legacy Boxing Club, located at 341 Cortland St., was also destroyed by the fire. Yessenia Montalvo, the club’s owner, said they were looking for a new location to continue their work.
“At the moment, we’re still looking for a location,” said Montalvo in an interview on May 15.
Nine days after the fire, voters went to the polls and elected Councilman Frank Velez III mayor.
Prior to his election to the Council, Velez served a three-year term on the Belleville Board of Education.
Velez did not return calls or an email seeking comment but he told WABC-TV that he’s ready to get to work.
“We ran on getting back to the basics, the quality of life,” he told WABC-TV. “Talking about responsible development and just talking about getting back to the priorities of working people.”
He will be sworn into that office on July 1.
Melham said he was thankful that Sherrill came to Belleville to see the devastation, and to personally thank the town’s first responders.
Sherrill said she would have a better understanding of what the needs are and what the opportunities are for grant money and support from different entities once a final assessment is made.
As Sherrill left, she walked past the smoldering warehouses – a calamity that brought a close-knit community even closer.
“It was heart-warming to see the community rally around our first responders,” said Vinny Cozzarelli, the councilman representing the Third Ward, where the fire occurred. “Some people would just go down to the firehouse to check on the firefighters and to offer them support. That’s what Belleville is all about.”
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