Community to Thank Firefighters Who Battled Hillsborough Blaze with Dinner

Hillsborough, NJ -- The massive warehouse fire that blazed on for days in Hillsborough called upon firefighters from all over the Garden State.

More than 30 fire companies from at least six different counties across the state and more than 200 emergency vehicles were on the scene at Veteran’s Administration Industrial Park in the north end of Route 206 in Hillsborough on Feb. 11.

Not only did firefighters have to battle the fire but the weather with temperatures hitting below zero made standing outside for hours a feat in and of itself.

Derek Basista of Manville and Owner of Charity Events Group wants to give back and say thank you to the hundreds of emergency personnel who helped fight the fire.

“Someone needs to say thank you to these guys,” Basista said to Patch. “Over 90 percent were volunteer firefighters.”

Basista has set up a gofundme site where he is looking to raise $10,000 to cover the cost of Thank You dinner and also to donate extra money to the fire departments that showed up.

To date, Basista has raised a total of $2,120 via GoFundMe and another $250 in cash donations. Hillsborough ShopRite will also be donating a $250 gift card to the event as well.

“We will never have all the words to say ‘thank you’ but we hope in some way by bringing in the countless people who helped keep this fire under control, we can share a night of great food, music, and friendships,” Basista wrote on the gofundme site.

“Without these brave men and woman, we could have lost so much more. As a young man who has an uncle that worked at this facility for many years, I know first-hand how devastating it can be to lose so much in the blink of an eye,” he continued.

The dinner will be held on April 2 at the Thomas J. Kavanaugh VFW Post 2290-Manville, 600 Washington Avenue, Manville from 6 to 10 p.m.

A band, Heritage, is also donating their talent to the event.

Also at the event will be Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker (D-16), who represents Somerset County towns such as Hillsborough; Manville Mayor Richard Onderko and Millstone Mayor Raymond Heck.

Zwicker will also be issuing Resolutions to each fire station at this event.

Basista is hoping to raise enough money to cover the event by the end of March or early April. Any expenses not covered, Basista will pay out of pocket.

To donate visit www.gofundme.com/hillsboroughfire.

(Photo, gofundme)