BELLEVILLE, NJ — Belleville schools will move to virtual learning for the rest of the week as the town continues to recover from a devastating fire.
All public schools in Belleville will remain closed on Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8, according to an update from Superintendent Erick Alfonso.
Schools have been closed for three days straight in the wake of Sunday’s fire, which sparked a state of emergency in the township.
The massive, 12-alarm fire broke out on Cortlandt Street in an industrial section of town. 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.
Multiple families living near the area were evacuated from their homes, and several local businesses were ravaged. Fundraisers have been launched to benefit the victims.
>> READ MORE: Devastating Fire Leaves Belleville Families, Businesses Pleading For Help
Alfonso gave the school community an update on Wednesday, sharing a video that showed an overhead view of the extensive damage left behind by the fire – some of which was still smoldering.
“We just met with OEM and emergency services… upon their guidance, it is strongly encouraged that we maintain schools closed for the rest of the week,” the superintendent explained.
Alfonso said the New Jersey Department of Education has approved the decision to pivot to virtual instruction.
The district began holding pickup times for Chromebooks on Wednesday afternoon. Distribution will also take place from 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursday.
For families in need of meals, the district will be providing them at Belleville High School on Thursday from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
“It is not the best situation,” Alfonso said. “We're doing the best with what we have, and our top priority after safety is to maintain the continuity of instruction.”
“Once OEM is done with their part, we're going to make sure that everything is ready to go before we welcome all our families back,” Alfonso said.
“We thank you for your time and flexibility and for your understanding during these devastating times,” he added.
OTHER UPDATES
Mayor Michael Melham provided some other updates about recovery efforts in the township in a message on Wednesday afternoon. They included:
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