House Fire Leaves Belleville Family Without A Home, Fundraiser Launched (UPDATE)

BELLEVILLE, NJ — A house fire left a family without a home in Belleville on Monday morning, authorities say. An online fundraiser has been launched to benefit the residents.

The fire took place around 3:20 a.m. on Ligham Street. Several family members were inside the home when the blaze began, but everyone in the home self-evacuated. They were outside and uninjured when firefighters arrived, News 12 New Jersey reported.

Belleville Mayor Michael Melham released some additional details about the fire on Monday afternoon.

According to Melham, firefighters arrived at the scene within four minutes of being called. They immediately deployed hose lines and focused on protecting the surrounding homes.

Mutual aid also responded from Bloomfield, Nutley and Newark, which helped to bring the situation under control.

“At this time, the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but arson or foul play is not suspected,” Melham said. “It is believed the fire may have started in the kitchen and spread rapidly, potentially due to the front door being left open during evacuation, which can accelerate fire conditions.”

“Thankfully, the family is safe,” the mayor added, thanking the BFD for their quick response. “This could have been a serious tragedy. Please let this serve as a reminder to check your fire and smoke detectors.”

Belleville Town Councilman Frank Vélez also praised the response from local firefighters – and neighbors of the impacted family, as well.

“My thoughts are with the family displaced by this morning’s house fire on Ligham Street in Belleville, and I’m grateful everyone made it out safely,” Vélez wrote.

“It was encouraging to see the neighborhood step up for a family in need, something we can all be proud of,” he said. “Our community always comes together in times like this, and I ask that we all keep them in mind as they begin to recover.”

>> A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to benefit the family. View it or make a donation here.

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