NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A possible chlorine leak at a chemical company in East Rutherford, N.J. Thursday afternoon prompted police to advise residents to shelter in place for about two hours.
"Hazmat completed additional checks of the air quality and has determined it is safe to lift the Shelter-In-Place order. You can turn your air conditioning back on to enjoy the comfort of your home. Have a nice evening. Please share for Rutherford Residents," Rutherford Police tweeted at 4:02 p.m.
The incident took place at Diamond Chemical Co. A fire was burning inside the building, but it was unclear what was burning initially, East Rutherford Fire said. Hazmat teams were also at the scene.
In a photo tweeted by Total Traffic & Weather Network, plumes of smoke were seen rising above the facility.
It was unknown if there are injuries.
About an hour and a half after the leak was reported, Rutherford Police tweeted, "Hazmat is checking the air quality & reported NO negative or bad readings in Rutherford. Shelter-In-Place w your AC off & windows closed remains in effect. This is for the EAST side of town. Orient Way towards NYC ONLY. We will continue to send out updates as we receive them."
"We are monitoring a chemical spill that was reported on Union Ave/DuBois Street in EAST RUTHERFORD," Rutherford Police wrote on its Facebook page shortly after 2 p.m. "A Shelter-in-Place is strongly advised. Eastside of town should turn off air conditioning units as well."
It explained, "Shelter-In-Place: where materials may have been released into the atmosphere is recommended to shelter-in-place. This is a precaution aimed to keep you safe while remaining indoors. (This is not the same thing as going to a shelter in case of a storm.) Shelter-in-place means selecting a small, interior room, with no or few windows, and taking refuge there. It does not mean sealing off your entire home or office building."
Lyndhurst Police also tweeted, "Chemical Fire in East Rutherford. Residents/Businesses east of Orient Way shelter in place and secure HVAC."
Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., whose district includes the area, tweeted, "Anyone in #EastRutherford please stay indoors while this chemical spill is addressed. My office has spoken w/ @RutherfordPDNJ and I continue to monitor this closely. Thank God for our first responders at the scene."
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