Metuchen residents mobilize to help fire victims

Lina Portman4 weeks ago

0 1 minute read

Residents of Redfield Village say the Borough of Metuchen is stepping in to help victims of their apartment fire Saturday morning.

Two people were hospitalized and more than 20 were left homeless.

“It Takes a Borough” is known as Metuchen’s local nonprofit. It serves as a general fund for situations like Saturday's fire.

“They left their homes. They need shirts, they need clothes,” said board member John Mindler. “It’s an immediate need. These families will have long-term needs and we will try to help them financially.

“How they're still going to work, they may have lived nearby,” Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch said. “Some of them didn’t have a car, some of them have kids, but they still have to go to school.”

“All the money goes to support the families affected by the tragedy,” Busch said.

“There’s not always renter’s insurance, and we hope we can make up for some of that,” Mindler said.

Back in Redfield Village, no one is allowed into his old house. People's belongings were still scattered Sunday evening.

An urban tradition has now taken on increased importance.

“Sunday is going to be amazing,” Busch said. “In high school, we have the FUCE 5K, a race that we organize every year. This is thanks to It Takes a Borough, and once again all the money will go to families in need who are struck by the tragedy.

“If something goes wrong, you can turn left or right and someone will help you,” Mindler said. “It’s on a larger scale.”

Affected families were given hotel rooms. It remains unclear whether any part of the building can possibly be safely reused.

“At this point, it’s still new to all of us,” resident Terry Davis said. “I thank the district. I thank the mayor. I thank the police chief. It's been great, they really, really support us.