Unknown material flowing into Westfield River

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Cops say blockage forced purple dye into river

Updated: Thursday, 30 Aug 2012, 11:57 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 30 Aug 2012, 4:24 PM EDT

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Mystery solved in Westfield.

They've figured out what that colored material was in the Westfield River Thursday afternoon.

Westfield Police Officer John Blascak told 22News it was a purple Dye from Prolamina Corporation, a manufacturer of specialty papers and laminates. Prolamina was formerly known as Jen-Coat.

Officer Blascak said the company is legally allowed to send the harmless material into the city's storm drain system, but a blockage prevented the dye from reaching the Westfield waste water treatment plant.

Workers from the Westfield Department of Public Works cleared the blockage around 6:00 PM Thursday night, and the river water is once again flowing clear.

A stretch of Railroad Avenue was closed between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM Thursday while the incident was investigated by the Department of Environmental Protection, Westfield police and Fire, and the DPW

Mystery material identified in Westfield River

Cops say blockage forced purple dye into river

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