Statement from Mayor Jason F. Cilento
Dunellen Fire Department Fire
October 12, 2021
It is with sadness that I write this notification to inform you that this afternoon the Dunellen Fire Department suffered significant loss to their Fire House. The Borough is still assessing the damage and an investigation by the Middlesex County Fire Marshall’s Office will be conducted to determine the cause of the fire. Thankfully, there have been no reported injuries to those involved in fighting today’s fire.
Dunellen is thankful to the members of the Dunellen Fire Department, Dunellen Police Department, the Dunellen Rescue Squad, Dunellen OEM, and all the first responders from the surrounding communities who assisted as mutual aid. Over the next several weeks, as we continue our assessment and restore the Fire House and everything in it, the Borough of Dunellen will be covered by mutual aid from neighboring departments, and this will ensure the safety and protection of our residents and businesses should another incident occur in the borough. We are a strong community but our friendships and partnerships with our neighbors make us even stronger. We thank them for that.
As the Borough of Dunellen and the Dunellen Defender Fire Company #1 works with the insurance companies to assess and claim the damages to the structure of the building, apparatuses, and equipment, please consider donating to the Dunellen Defender Fire Company No 1. People have already begun asking how they may assist and right now the most direct way to help is to contribute to the non-profit side of the organization. Checks should be made payable to the Dunellen Defender Fire Company No. 1 and donations that normally would have been mailed to the Fire House may be mailed to Borough Hall at: Dunellen Defender Fire Company No. 1, 355 North Avenue, Dunellen, NJ 08812.
The Borough of Dunellen will work assiduously to return the volunteers of the Dunellen Fire Department back to their rightful home at 231 South Madison Avenue. These men and women have given so much to our community and we are here to support them. We will continue to keep the public updated on the progress of the department and its membership and any plans on how as a community we can come together to support them. As we inspected the scene today, what struck me the most out of all this sad news, was the image of the American Flag standing untouched inside the smoke damaged bay of the Fire House. At that moment, it signified not just a national symbol for our country, but the strength and determination of our men and women who serve and protect us. We are Dunellen Strong, and we will come back from this, and we will be stronger from this. We are the Miracle Mile and the Miracle Mile Means Community.
Thank you for your time in this matter.
Yours very truly,
Jason F. Cilento, Mayor
Borough of Dunellen