24-Year-Old Councilman Defeats Belleville Mayor Who Botched Response to 14-Alarm Fire

A 24-year-old councilman just became Belleville's next mayor — and it happened one week after the two-term incumbent fumbled the town's response to a devastating 14-alarm fire.

Frank Vélez crushed outgoing Mayor Michael Melham by roughly 1,000 votes in Tuesday's election, ending Melham's eight-year run at Town Hall.

The defining moment came May 3, when a massive fire ripped through a mattress factory and swallowed an entire block. Between 40 and 50 fire departments responded — some from more than an hour away. The fire left residents without clear guidance, and stray embers sparked additional blazes at homes nearby.

Melham initially told residents "there was never any threat or concern" — even as the police department was left without power during the blaze and water pressure dropped as crews fought the fire.

"In the hours and days following the fire, our community was left navigating uncertainty with little or no official instruction, resorting to group chats and scavenging social media for guidance or information, both of which should have been provided by the government that we entrust for such tasks," parents and educators wrote in a joint letter obtained by ABC 7.

The backlash cost Melham. No injuries were reported from the fire, but the lack of communication hit hard.

Then, days before the election, Melham reportedly sent an "attack mailer" targeting Vélez's personal life — specifically his decision to live at home. Vélez said he lives with his parents to help care for his younger sister with special needs.

"We're gonna say no to the petty attacks. We're gonna say no to the slimy politics, and we're gonna get back to basic respect in this town, because that's what people want, and that's what people deserve," Vélez said.

Vélez — a councilman in the township and former staff assistant to the late U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell — had built his campaign around quality of life and community development. He graduated from Fordham University with a political science degree in December 2023 and had previously served on the Belleville Board of Education while still in college.

"I feel grateful. I am humbled, and I'm just so ready to get to work as the next mayor of Belleville. This was a resounding victory," Vélez said after the results came in.

He is set to become one of the youngest mayors in the country.