Fire Damages Morris Avenue Apartment

Morris Avenue was blocked off on the afternoon of Feb. 9 due to a fire in a third floor apartment.

The fire broke out in the apartment of the mixed use building between Center St. and Mountain Ave. shortly after noon. Witnesses on the street and in Morris Ave. businesses reported seeing flames coming out of building's window. Fire departments were able to contain it to the apartment, which was gutted in the blaze. No one was hurt.

While early reports claimed a person was trapped inside the building, Springfield Fire Chief James Sanford said those reports were unfounded. Jerry Balletti, owner of Jerry from Naples hair salon, said he did not believe the apartment's tenant was home at the time of the incident.

Gary Hecht, a chiropractor having lunch at McLynn's down the street, said he saw flames shooting out of the third floor as he left the restaurant and that firefighters  used a chainsaw to cut into the building's attic.

Millburn, Westfield and Union Fire Departments are also on the scene providing mutual aid.

Balletti said he was unaware of the fire upstairs from his shop until someone called and said "you have to get out of there."

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. The Union County fire investigation squad and other county and township agencies are investigating.

Bernardita Artavia, who lives on the same floor as the apartment, heard about the fire while working at the CVS pharmacy down the street.

"I thought I was going to pass out when I heard about it," a visibly shaken Artavia said. Artavia is waiting to hear from the Red Cross if she and her neighbors will need to be temporarily relocated while the building's fire alarms are assessed.