Belleville warehouse fire recovery continues as Gov. Mikie Sherrill plans visit
Five days after the massive warehouse fire on Cortlandt Street, crews remain on scene battling hotspots.
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Recovery efforts are ongoing in Belleville nearly a week after a massive warehouse fire tore through a building on Cortlandt Street, forcing evacuations, disrupting schools and impacting nearby homes and businesses.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill is expected to visit the township on Thursday to assess the damage firsthand and meet with first responders who have spent the past five days working around the clock at the fire scene.
Overnight rain helped crews make some progress extinguishing hotspots, but smoke was still visible rising from sections of the building as demolition work continued Thursday.
The effects of the fire continue throughout the Belleville community. Schools have shifted to virtual learning through Friday, with Chromebook pickups and grab-and-go meals available for students. Some nearby residents remain without power, while others are receiving assistance after smoke spread into surrounding homes.
The American Red Cross and local officials are continuing to support displaced families.
While some businesses are beginning to reopen, challenges remain. Signature Fitness, located just two blocks from the fire, resumed operations but is still dealing with low water pressure and temporary restroom accommodations.
“Today is a lot better and we opened up again on Wednesday, but we still have low water pressure,” said Signature Fitness owner and CEO Warren Feldman. “Even though we have four porta-potties outside and we’re putting in a luxury trailer for the bathrooms, they still want to come and work out.”
Belleville Mayor Michael Melham also tells News 12 that a family who lost everything in the fire was reunited with their family cat they thought they had lost. Melham says firefighters found the cat hiding in a vent inside the family’s home.
The cat was taken to the vet to be checked out and is expected to be OK.
Officials say emergency crews are expected to remain on scene for the foreseeable future as they continue putting out hotspots and assessing the full extent of the damage.
