A three-alarm fire tore through the Village Office Supply warehouse on Belmont Drive in Franklin Township Friday, sending smoke billowing through the building as firefighters from multiple towns rushed to the scene. Police blocked off roads and rerouted drivers away from the area while crews worked to bring the flames under control.
Franklin Township firefighters requested mutual aid from surrounding towns to help knock down the blaze, according to News12 New Jersey. The warehouse sits just off School House Road between Elizabeth Avenue and Belmont Drive, and smoke filled the structure as the fire spread. Fire crews deployed ladders and hose lines that extended to the top of the warehouse in an effort to get at the flames from above.
Roads Blocked, Businesses Nearby Stay Open
Police routed drivers away from the fire scene using roadblocks and detours as the response unfolded, per the station's report. Despite the disruption, businesses in the surrounding area reportedly remained open during the firefighting effort. Firefighters exiting the building received assistance from an EMS rehab unit stationed nearby, the outlet noted.
It remains unclear whether anyone was inside the warehouse when the fire broke out, and whether there were any injuries, according to the same account. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and News12 described the incident as a developing story, with more details expected as they become available.
Not the First Fire to Hit Franklin Township This Year
Friday's blaze is at least the third fire to draw a major emergency response in Franklin Township this year. In June, a fire broke out late on a Sunday night at a strip mall on Hamilton Street, engulfing several stores, as reported by News 12 New Jersey. The Tropical Food Market and a 99 Cent Plus store were heavily damaged in that fire, though a laundromat and tattoo parlor nearby were saved, and no injuries were reported. Hamilton Street has since reopened following that response.
A separate incident sent hazmat crews to a warehouse at 53 Veronica Avenue, identified as the address of fragrance company Custom Essence, after reports of a chemical reaction fire inside the building, according to rlsmedia.com. Firefighters arriving at that scene reportedly encountered a haze condition, prompting the Hazmat response. No injuries were reported in that incident either, and it remained under investigation.
Friday's fire at the office supply warehouse remains under active investigation, with the extent of the damage and the cause not yet determined.
