Prepared by: Firefighter Scott Wentworth

Date: February 28, 2003

Time: 03:30 AM

Address: 28 William Street, Belleville, NJ (Essex County)

Incident: Fire breaks out in house in Valley Section of Township, forces residents to flee.

A site rumored to be part of Belleville’s history, as the first library building, was completely destroyed in an overnight blaze in the Valley section of the Township early Friday morning. (Calls to the Belleville Historical Society could not confirm the owner’s claim of the historical signifigance of the house.)

9-1-1 calls were received at 03:30 AM reporting a fire in the area of William and Cortlandt Streets. Firefighters were just returning from a residential fire alarm call elsewhere in town, and were immediately en-route when the call came in via Fire Headquarters dispatch. Engine #2 arrived within a minute, and reported heavy smoke covering the area. Firefighters stretched a handline from the pumper and advanced it over several parked vehicles and down a narrow alleyway where fire was now showing in the first floor rear of the structure. Truck #1 arrived behind the engine, and proceeded to force entry into the doorway and windows to effect a potential rescue of residents possibly still inside. It was an extremely difficult task, as all the entranceways were blocked with debris. The owner had amassed a large collection of knicknacks, car parts and construction materials over time, all stored in and around the premises. Additional firefighters arrived on Engine #3 and EMS #1, and attempted to make their way to the rear of the house. There too, they were met with vehicles blocking access in the side yard. Police Officers assisted by evacuating residents from the nearby structures, as the fire began to spread rapidly.

Battalion #4 called for a second alarm, with mutual aid fire companies from Bloomfield and Nutley to the scene. Additional manpower was called in from off-duty Belleville firefighters to man Engine #1 and EMS units and they too reported to the scene, also providing secondary coverage to the Township for fire calls. North Arlington Fire Department provided coverage to the Township with a ladder truck and rescue unit stationed at Fire Headquarters with Belleville reserve Engine #1.

The fire had now vented from several sides of the structure, identified as a three-story wood frame private dwelling, approximately 25’ by 50’ feet. A similarly sized three-story wood frame dwelling stood to the right separated by the narrow driveway. Searches were delayed due to heavy volume of fire and blocked access into the house. Firefighters learned that the property owner was not at home at the time of the fire, as he returned home to confirm that no one was inside.

Water supplies were initially hampered, as the section of the Valley is known for lower water pressures and older water mains. Numerous 1 ¾" handlines and large-bore master streams were deployed, the demand for water exceeded what could be delivered by the fire pumpers until more manpower arrived and stretched in from further hydrants to provide sufficient water sources.

Efforts were then concentrated on surrounding the building with handlines, and attacking the deep-seated fire burning within. Heavy smoke blanketed the neighborhood, and a covering of snow from last week’s storm complicated the extinguishment operations. Weather was a major concern, as air temperatures dropped to the mid 20’s during fireground operations. Equipment such as hoses, ladders and tools covered with water quickly froze, as did the firefighters heavy wet turnout gear. Walking was hazardous as the ground surfaces were ice-covered, and the rear yard filled with water runoff from the fire to depth of 3’ to 4’ feet in spots.

The fire was handled by the on-duty response Truck #1, EMS #1, Engine #2 and Engine #3, and the Battalion Chief. Mutual aid from Bloomfield Engine #4, and Nutley Engine #1 and off-duty personnel brought the manpower total to over fifty (50) firefighters operating at the height of the fire. The fire was declared under control at approximately 07:00 AM and completely extinguished by 11:00 AM.

The original fire building was completely destroyed as a result of the fire. The buildings on either side suffered only minor fire and heat damage, and many residents were allowed to return afterwards. In the meanwhile, they remained outside huddled on the frigid street, until a bus was provided by NJ Transit’s Big Tree garage to shelter them temporarily. Firefighters also used the bus to warm up and rest for fifteen (15) minute breaks throughout the night. Special agencies called to the scene included the Essex County Prosecutors Office Arson Task Force, the Essex County K-9 Unit, and the Belleville Building Department and Department of Public Works. The roof had collapsed inward, and after burning for several hours, it was declared structurally unstable. Demolition crews were brought to the scene, and worked with firefighters throughout the day. They house had to be torn down in sections, as investigators from the Fire Department and County Arson sifted through the charred remains searching for clues leading to determine the cause and origin of the fire. As demolition progressed, firefighters directed hose streams to pockets of burning material once they were uncovered by the heavy machinery-grappling arm.

The owner of the property was left homeless, with all possessions destroyed by the fire. He reportedly will be staying with relatives. No other area residents were displaced. The section of William Street remained closed throughout the day for safety considerations while the structure was being razed. The DPW applied road salt to the area, and dug into the street with PSE&G to shut down gas and water mains.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation and there are no preliminary indications how it started or what caused the fire. Several emergency workers were injured, yet not severely. Injuries ranged from police officers treated for smoke inhalation, and firefighter injuries were categorized as a sprained shoulder, possible broken hand, and knee and leg injuries. ####

For more information regarding the historical representation of the building, please contact the Belleville Public Library at (973) 450-3434 during normal business hours. The structure was of typical construction dating back to the early 1900’s, and the location of the property is within one of the oldest and first settled parts of the Township.

Footnote: Photographs of the actual fire and aftermath are available. Please contact this office and we will make arrangements to provide photographs. For e-mail text and photo images of this article, please send requests to: BellevilleFire@aol.com