By: Richard L. Smith
A massive multi-alarm fire tore through a commercial building in Belleville on Sunday afternoon, quickly escalating into a nine-alarm emergency and spreading to additional structures, according to regional reports and RLS Media coverage.
The fire broke out at a mattress warehouse on Cortlandt Street, near Holmes and Joralemon streets, just before mid-afternoon. Officials has declared a state of emergency in the town due to fire.
Heavy flames and thick black smoke were visible for miles as the blaze rapidly intensified, prompting a large-scale response from fire departments across Essex, Bergen and Hudson counties.
Authorities said the fire grew to nine alarms within hours, with crews converging on the scene around 3 p.m. as conditions worsened.
Firefighters worked aggressively to contain the flames as they engulfed the primary structure and extended to at least one neighboring building, complicating suppression efforts.
We first reported that the fast-moving fire required a regional mutual aid response, drawing firefighters from multiple surrounding municipalities as officials shut down nearby roads and urged residents to avoid the area.
Officials indicated that embers and intense heat contributed to the fire’s spread, with secondary structures catching as crews battled the main body of fire.
Despite the scale of the incident, early reports indicated no immediate word of serious injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under active investigation.
Fire crews remained on scene for hours working to fully extinguish hotspots and secure the area, as the incident stands as one of the most significant fires in the region in recent months.