Hazmat Responds To Diamond Brook For Green Discharge

Authorities in Glen Rock and Ridgewood, as well as Bergen County Department of Health Services, responded to Diamond Brook Tuesday afternoon after a green subtance was found flowing in the water.

Ridgewood Fire and Police Departments were alerted to Orchard Place, behind Orchard School in the village, shortly after 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

The substance was observed in Diamond Brook, which runs just several dozen yards behind the elementary school, from Ridgewood south through Glen Rock toward the Passaic River.

Glen Rock Fire Department Chief Tom Jennings said that substance was initially reported to be antifreeze.

Jennings stressed that the green substance, identified as tracking dye, which is used to find leaks and is "not dangerous."

"This happened once before in the same brook," Jennings said, adding that it likely originated upstream in Ridgewood.

He said that someone may have been looking for a leak somewhere without realizing the dye would reach into the brook.

Jennings said that the Glen Rock Fire Department responded at the brook at Dunham Place in Glen Rock to make sure the incident was under control before returning to GRFD headquarters.

Ridgewood Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein said he spoke with the Ridgewood Police Department who assured him that everything was fine.

James Kleimann and Myles Ma contributed to this story.