ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A devastating fire in Belleville has left a wide path of destruction in its wake, with local residents and businesses reporting complete ruin amid the chaos.
Several fundraisers have been launched to benefit the victims of Sunday’s fire, which caused a state of emergency in the township (see below).
The massive, 12-alarm fire broke out on Cortlandt Street around 3 p.m. Firefighting crews could be seen converging on an industrial building at 347 Cortlandt Street, which houses a mattress warehouse and textile manufacturing business. Strong winds eventually spread the flames to multiple warehouses in the neighborhood – with several collapses reported – and additional structure fires were seen several blocks away.
There has been no loss of life and no civilian injuries, according to Mayor Michael Melham, who said it was “nothing short of a miracle.” However, one firefighter sustained a minor elbow injury and was transported to Clara Maass Medical Center. Several others were treated overnight for smoke inhalation and exhaustion.
A local state of emergency was declared on Sunday.
Multiple families living near the area were evacuated from their homes. The Red Cross said eight people received emergency aid for temporary lodging, food and clothing.
Other residents reported that the fire left them without electricity, water and internet service. PSE&G has begun re-energizing power to neighboring streets, and the New Jersey Department of Transportation is assisting with road closures.
Several township departments were closed on Monday due to a power outage at Town Hall. Belleville public schools were closed Monday and Tuesday due to town-wide impacts from the fire. Township recreation programs were canceled on Monday, and portions of Washington Avenue will be closed indefinitely.
On Monday, town councilman Frank Vélez reported that demolition has begun in the impacted area.
“We are incredibly grateful for Belleville’s first responders, as well as all the first responders from across New Jersey who have stepped up to help our community during this time of need,” Vélez said.
POTENTIAL CAUSE
Melham told News 12 New Jersey that while the investigation is ongoing, welding may have played a role in starting the fire.
Video from the scene shared by PIX11 News reportedly shows the moment that the fire began in a warehouse (watch the footage here). Flames can be seen sparking in a corner of the building, eventually attracting the attention of a worker, who calls for help and moves boxes and other materials away from the fire. Subsequent attempts to douse the flames are unsuccessful.
An investigation into the fire continues, Melham told the New York Post.
FUNDRAISERS
Several online fundraisers have been launched in the wake of the devastating fire.
The following campaigns are currently running on GoFundMe:
We Lost Our Home After Belleville Fire, Help Us Start Over – “We lost everything in the fire. Right now, we need help with temporary housing, food, clothing, school supplies for my son, and even the most basic essentials like toilet paper. I can’t believe we have to start all over but we literally lost everything.”
Rebuild Dad’s Warehouse After Belleville Fire – “I’m writing this on behalf of my dad. Today, his mattress warehouse in Belleville, New Jersey caught fire. The fire became extremely severe, and the building has collapsed. Unfortunately, he did not have insurance coverage for the inventory at the time. He built his business from nothing through years of hard work, and seeing everything he worked for disappear in a single day has been devastating for us. Right now, we are trying to figure out how to recover. We are facing a very difficult situation.”
Help Us Rebuild After Fire – “On the day of the fire, my family and I were evacuated from our home with little warning. We live very close to the fire area, and it was terrifying to leave everything behind, not knowing what would happen. Our two kids and our dog, Sharkie, were scared, but we are so grateful that we are all safe. Unfortunately, our home suffered damage, and we still don’t know when we’ll be able to return. The hardest part is seeing my little ones and Sharkie miss their home so much. Our small business, which was our main source of income, was also lost in the fire. Everything we worked so hard to build burned down, and we are now starting from zero again after already overcoming difficult times in the past.”
In The Belleville Fire, Everything We Built Was Gone – “A fire destroyed our warehouse at 347 Cortlandt Street in Belleville, New Jersey, and in just a few hours, everything we had worked so hard for was gone. Years of sacrifice, long days, and dedication turned to ashes overnight. We lost everything — our entire inventory, our equipment, and the materials that kept our business running. This isn’t just a business to us. It’s our livelihood. It’s how we support ourselves, our family, and our future. We built it step by step, with effort, hope, and so much heart. What makes this even harder is that we did not have insurance coverage at the time. Our Certificate of Occupancy (CO) had not yet been approved due to pending roof repairs by the landlord, and because of that, we are now facing this loss completely on our own. Right now, we are trying to process everything… but the truth is, we are starting from zero.”
Help My Father Rebuild After Business Fire In Belleville – “My father owns a business in Belleville, New Jersey, and on May 6, 2026, he received a call on his day off that changed everything. His business, along with others in the same building, was on fire. The cause is still unknown, but the fire completely destroyed his business—one of his biggest goals in life. He had worked for years to open his own business, and just two years ago, he finally achieved that dream. Now, in a matter of hours, it was all gone… Every bit of income he worked so hard for went into building up his business, and now everything he needed to keep it running has been lost in the fire.”
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