A new mayor has been elected in Belleville a week after a massive warehouse fire, as criticism grows over how officials handled the aftermath.

Frank Vélez defeated incumbent Michael Melham, becoming one of New Jersey’s youngest mayors.

The upset comes as parents and educators raise concerns about how the town handled school shutdowns following the fire.

In a joint letter, Belleville Public School 9 Home and School Association and the Belleville Education Association criticized communication during the first 96 hours of the crisis.

The groups cited a lack of transparency about air quality, late-night scheduling changes and concerns over the academic impact on students.

Melham and the school superintendent were specifically called out over communication issues tied to the response.