Town Of Cranford Updates Residents On Monday's Oil Spill

CRANFORD, NJ — The township released a message to residents Wednesday about an accident that occurred in town during utility work on Monday, causing oil to spill onto nearby residential streets. The message said authorities determined the oil was not toxic and there was no immediate threat.

The Wednesday afternoon newsletter stated, "On Monday morning, a crew from Elizabethtown Gas Co. doing work in the area of Manor and Casino severed an underground PSE&G electric line, causing a spill of synthetic oil into the line that spread onto streets, nearby lawns, and Casino Brook."

Town officials said the following steps were taken:

• There was a large scale emergency response to stop the leak and repair the impacted circuit. Additionally, a substantial environmental response was initiated to contain the oil from the adjacent properties and the Casino Brook.
• NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Cranford Fire Department have been at the scene and determined the oil was not toxic and that there was no immediate fire or safety threat for the nearby residents. NJ DEP has downgraded the area from Emergency Response to Remediation and Clean Up Phase.
• PSE&G has stopped the leak and is working on removing all contaminated (nontoxic) soil from the immediate area. Additionally, environmental clean-up crews are working to remove any contaminants from the Casino Brook.
• The utility authorities have made substantial progress and expect the impact and inconvenience to the neighborhood to lessen over the next day or two. And, there will be no further nighttime or overnight work. In addition, most of the large stationary equipment will be removed in the coming days.
• However, access to the area remains limited and officials requests non-neighborhood residents to avoid the area.
• There will be an extended soil removal and clean-up operation involving the Casino Brook over the next several weeks, which will not impact the neighborhood. Crews will be diligent to remove all contaminated (nontoxic) soil to minimize the environmental impact.
• The environmental cleanup operation is being undertaken by licensed contractors and is supervised by NJDEP. The crews will be working in the brook to actively remove contaminated soil and vegetation. The rainfall will help to influence the process.
• A collection point has been established on Riverside Drive near the Casino brook entry point to the main river way. Crews will be on site at that location to recover any contaminated (nontoxic) water.

Cranford’s Office of Emergency Management, police, and Fire Department are continuing to monitor the situation, according to the newsletter. The public will be updated via Nixle alerts and future newsletters.

PSE&G representatives remain in contact with residents in the immediate area.

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