Freeholder Brian D. Levine: "Our hearts go out to the residents."
BERNARDSVILLE -- Several Somerset County and local agencies have reached out to offer assistance to the victims of Friday's fire at the historic Station Restaurant and Bar in the borough.
Twenty individuals and eight families, including two high-school age boys and a 4-year-old, were displaced by the early-morning blaze that occurred at the 115-year-old wooden structure.
On Monday, representatives from the Somerset County Department of Human Services, Board of Social Services and various local agencies were at the Bernardsville Library to coordinate assistance to the victims.
"Our hearts go out to the residents who have been impacted by this terrible fire," said Somerset County Freeholder Brian D. Levine, who is the freeholder's human services liaison. "The borough, the county and many local agencies are doing everything they can to help. Somerset County will continue to proactively pursue all of our means to assist the victims."
Bernardsville Police Chief Kevin Valentine, who also serves as the town's emergency management coordinator, has spearheaded efforts to assists the victims.
"There's not a lot left inside for the residents to recover," said Valentine, who spent hours on the scene in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
Somerset County Mental Health Administrator Pam Mastro, who also serves as Access and Functional Needs liaison to the county Office of Emergency Management, is working with the following agencies to provide assistance:
* Somerset County Board of Social Services - providing housing assistance.
* Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services and Richard Hall Community and Mental Health Center - providing mental health counseling
* American Red Cross - providing temporary housing cards
* Citizens Emergency Response Team - volunteer first-responders.
* Community Hope - providing veterans services.
* Heartworks - provided gift bags to displaced residents and coordinating a list of items needed.
* Bernardsville School District - coordinating transportation for the students whose families are temporarily displaced.
Bilingual staff and local religious organizations are also providing help to residents.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.