Early Saturday morning, around 3:30 a.m., a three alarm fire broke out at Jerry’s Antiques in Montclair at 229 Glenridge Ave.
According to Montclair Fire Dept. Deputy Chief Robert Duncan, two residents of the apartments above Jerry’s Antiques were taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation. There were no fire department injuries. A total of 16 residents were displaced by the fire, including those in apartments located in adjacent buildings. Some residents made it out onto fire escapes while others were rescued from inside their apartments.
The fire, which started in the basement of the building and was under control before daybreak, was a stubborn fire, says Duncan. “There were pockets that were difficult to reach. Any time you have a fire in an antique or furniture store, there is a high fire load, a lot of stuff that can burn, and a lot of things that get in the way.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. There was heavy fire damage to the structure at 229 Glenridge with floor joists and supporting structures burnt completely through.
Fortunately, says Duncan, firefighters knew the building well because of yearly inspections. “We were able to access it by bringing a line through the rear of the building able which allowed us to extinguish the fire more easily.” Construction officials will deem when the adjacent buildings and businesses are safe to open.
Parlor Hair Studio was one of the businesses that had to close today due to the fire, wrote Saturday…
Due to a fire in a connecting building,(Jerry’s Antiques), the studio will be closed today, January 30th until electrical repairs are made to the building. We had no damage but have no power. Luckily no one was hurt. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Glad that no one was injured and sorry to hear that residents were displaced. That’s such a fun and enterprising corner. Jerry’s is a boon to Montclair Center and I hope that they… and the others will all be back on track soon!