Berkeley Heights firefighters contained a peracetic acid spill at the township's Wastewater Treatment Plant on Friday, Sept. 11, with help from the Union County Hazardous Materials Team.

Fire Chief James Hopkins said the department was dispatched at 12:19 p.m. and arrived within six minutes. Plant workers had already begun containing the spill before firefighters got there, preventing the chemical from reaching catch basins.

Peracetic acid is a corrosive disinfectant used in wastewater treatment. According to the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the chemical is corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Acute exposure can cause coughing, labored breathing and skin blisters.

Firefighters wearing self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) used absorbent pads and booms to contain the release. After consulting with the chemical's manufacturer, crews applied an acid neutralizer to the spill, Hopkins said in a statement to nj21st.

The Berkeley Heights Rescue Squad provided medical monitoring and rehabilitation support for firefighters and hazmat technicians on scene.

"Many members of the Berkeley Heights Fire Department are trained as hazardous materials technicians, which was particularly beneficial in allowing us to quickly assess, contain, and mitigate the incident," Hopkins said.

The New Providence and Chatham Township fire departments were placed on standby to cover any additional emergencies in Berkeley Heights while local crews handled the hazmat response.

Hopkins noted his update was delayed because the department had been managing several Sept. 11 memorial events and other emergency calls throughout the day. The initial nj21st report noted that residents reported increased helicopter activity near the plant Friday afternoon, though no official source confirmed whether the aircraft were connected to the spill.

The township has been in the middle of a roughly $8 million upgrade to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. A July update from the township noted that a new containment system for the peracetic acid delivery system was under construction at the plant. Whether that project was completed before Friday's spill has not been confirmed.

No injuries have been reported. The size of the spill and how long the cleanup took have not been disclosed.

Residents with concerns about the plant can contact the Berkeley Heights Fire Department.