Substance in Brook Identified as Floor Cleaner

A white film skimming the water of a brook at the end of Dodd Road in West Caldwell Wednesday was determined to be a non-toxic floor cleaner by the Nutley Hazmat Unit.

The origin of the substance was traced back to adjacent Harrison School, where West Caldwell Fire Chief Charles Holden said the floor cleaner was inadvertently introduced into the brook.

Holden said standard procedure in a spill is to call the Nutley Hazmat Unit to analyze the substance.  

A passerby reported witnessing the substance around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, when West Caldwell Police and the West Caldwell Fire Department responded to the scene.

The scene was cleared later in the afternoon after the floor cleaner diluted on its own.