It Happened In Hillsborough: Hillsborough's Fire Companies

Ten years ago this month, volunteer firefighters from all three of Hillsborough’s fire companies (and
from companies all over the state) responded to the Veterans Administration Depot to battle what
would prove to be the largest structure fire in the history of Somerset County. The fire began on
February 11, 2016, at a warehouse on the property and quickly spread to connected buildings. The thick
black plume of smoke could be seen for miles, drifting all the way to the Jersey Shore.

Hillsborough’s Fire Companies

Hillsborough has had three volunteer fire companies for a little more than 70 years. But for most of the
Township’s long history, there were none.
In the early part of the 20 th century, blazes in the northern and eastern sections of our town were
responded to by firefighters from Somerville, Raritan, Bound Brook, and other towns whose fire
companies dated back to the previous century. Fires in the western part of town were another matter.
Sometimes the state police would take charge, as they did during the huge forest fire on the Sourland
Mountain in 1923.

When the Neshanic Station Volunteer Fire Company was formed in Branchburg Township in 1928, it was
a great relief to the residents of the Hillsborough communities of Neshanic and Flagtown. However, the
firefighters were still outside the township.

It may have been a series of arsons in and around Flagtown in 1936 and 1937 that precipitated the
formation of Hillsborough Fire Company Number 1, better known as the Flagtown Fire Company, in
1938.

Hillsborough Fire Company Number 2, on Route 206, got its start in 1947.

And, finally, Hillsborough Township Fire Company Number 3, headquartered on Woods Road, was
formed in 1955.

All three fire companies have a dedicated volunteer membership and are very active in the community.

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Gregory Gillette has been writing about local history for 20 years, starting with his Courier News column
“Gillette on Hillsborough” and continuing today with a Facebook page of the same name. He was named
as Hillsborough’s first Local Historian in 2025.