Fire burns 140-year-old Station restaurant in Bernardsville, shuts Route 202 early Friday

An overnight, multi-alarm fire at the Station restaurant in Bernardsville blazed for several hours, and had shut down Route 202 heading into the morning commute

According to a post by the Bernards Township Chamber of Commerce at 6 a.m., several volunteer fire companies were returning to their base after battling the fire for several hours, but a fire watch remained in place on the scene.

Route 202 in Bernardsville was closed for several hours between Mount Airy Road and Whitenack Road. Railroad commuters could access the Bernardsville Train Station parking lot by using Route 202 northbound from Far Hills at Depot Place. Officials were urging commuters to instead use the Far Hills or Lyons Railroad Stations.

By 7 a.m., the road way had reopened.

Bernardsville Police Chief and OEM Coordinator Kevin Valentine said 20 people were evacuated before the full fire broke out, and 18 were relocated to the municipal building. The Red Cross was on scene to help with their needs, and the local Lions Club was providing meals, he said.

No one was hurt.

Valentine said Bernarsville's fire company and nine others from Morris and Somerset Counties responded to the interior fire, which caused damage to the restaurant and to apartments on the second floor. There was smoke and water damage throughout the building, he said.

The building is nearly 140 years old, first constructed as the Claremount Hotel in 1878, directly across the train station, according to the restaurant's website. It became "The Station" in 1972 and "Station Pub & Grub" in 2006.

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