Belleville Mayor-elect Frank Velez III has enlisted two prominent North Jersey fire safety experts to help the town recover from an overwhelming 12-alarm warehouse fire last month.
Velez announced that John Cosgrove, a former Fair Lawn mayor and fire chief, and former Jersey City Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Forlenza have joined his transition team to advise him and work with Belleville officials to review emergency response plans and procedures.
“The devastation that Belleville residents lived through because of this fire was among the most traumatic experiences that a community can endure,” said Velez. “Together, alongside our amazing Belleville first responders, we will work to ensure that our community is safe and that tragedies like the Belleville Fire of 2026 never happen again.”…