Category: West Essex NJ

Category 10 Winds, Along with Intense Squall and Thunderstorms, Create Instant Chaos Across West Essex Tuesday

5/15/2018

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com
Published 9:22pm

Hover over Photos to see Locations and Photo Credit
Click on Photo to Enlarge

Big Piece Road at Dell Court, Fairfield PHOTO: Mark Andrew Bilhuber

WEST ESSEX, NJ - Late Tuesday afternoon, West Essex was slammed with a storm so strong that many have questioned if we had a tornado come through the area.

While some areas of New York did see tornados touch down, West Essex experienced a brief, but incredibly powerful, Squall with Whole Gale, Category 10, 66mph Winds, which was followed up by equally damaging Thunderstorms.

The violently intense onset was reported by NOAA's Fairfield Weather Station as a Squall - which they define as a "sudden violent gust of wind or a localized storm" - and it began in West Essex at 4:44pm, followed by Thunderstorms which continued until 6:01pm.

In this very short period of time, the Winds, Lightning, and Rain caused a huge amount of damage around the West Essex area.

What follows is a timeline of incidents chronicled as they were reported (not as they occured) to which Police, Fire and DPW crews responded and worked tirelessly to clean up for days:

Tuesday, May 15

4:44pm

Caldwell: Grover Lane by Hatfield Street
- Live wires down
Caldwell: Gladding Road by tennis courts
- Tree uprooted, fell into house; large branch of it pulled down Live Wires
  - Gladding Road closed

4:46pm

North Caldwell: East Greenbrook at Mountain Avenue
- Accident

4:48pm

Fairfield: Krauser's Parking Lot, Hollywood Avenue
- Live wires down on unoccupied car, Active Fire

4:49pm

Fairfield: Carlos Drive
- Active Brush Fire

4:50pm

Caldwell: Thomas Street near cemetary
- Large Tree uprooted and pulled down Utility Pole
  - Transformer Fire
  - Live Wires on car
Caldwell: Prospect Street near cemetary
- Transformer Fire

All available first responders were called to report to headquarters.

4:51pm

West Caldwell: Mountain Avenue near Arbor Road
- Live Wires down
North Caldwell: Mountain Avenue near Arbor Road
- Transformer Fire
  - Mountain Avenue shut down

4:55pm

Fairfield: Dwight Place at Gramon School
- Live Wires down near School and actively burning on side of building by playground,
- causing heavy smoke condition

4:58pm

Essex Fells / Verona: Fells Road near Bloomfield Avenue
- Live Wires arcing on Large tree down

Stewart Road, Essex Fells PHOTO: Carolyne Volpe Curley

5pm

Essex Fells: Stewart Road
- Trees Down, Live Wires down sparking, Utility Pole split

5:02pm

Fairfield: Kingbridge Road by Passaic Avenue
- Utility Pole on Fire

5:04pm

West Caldwell: Francine Avenue near Franklin Avenue
- Live Wire down

5:08pm

Fairfield: Esposito Drive near Midvale Avenue
- Several trees down blocking roads

5:10pm

Caldwell: Elm Road, behind gas station, near White Rock
- Large trees down blocking road
Unclear location, Passaic Avene
- Telephone pole suspended in air by the wires
- other poles snapped

Grandview Avenue by Sunset Drive, North Caldwell PHOTO: Carolyne Volpe Curley

5:11pm

North Caldwell: Grandview Avenue near Sunset Drive
- Large tree down on Live Wires
- Grandview Avenue closed at location

West Caldwell: Bloomfield Avenue, near Sanford Avenue
- Live Wires down, cars attempting to drive through it
  - Road closed
  - Traffic backed up to Passaic Avenue

5:14pm

West Caldwell: Stonybrook Avenue near Annin Road, near Washington School
- Live Wires down, tree across road

Cedars Road near Washburn Place, Caldwell PHOTO: Chris Wysocki

5:16pm

Caldwell: Gould Place near Westville Avenue
- Tree onto multiple unoccupied cars

5:17pm

Essex Fells: Fells Road by Devon Road
- Tree across road

Campbell Road at Bodkin Road, Fairfield PHOTO: Bonnie Kamochi

5:18pm

Fairfield: Campbell Road near Bodkin
- Tree onto house with odor of gas coming from the house

5:19pm

Location Unclear
- Accident with airbag deployment

5:24pm

Caldwell: Birkendene Road, Cherry Lane, Cleveland Road
- 3 Utility Poles pulled down

Passaic Avenue across from Essex County Airport, Fairfield PHOTO: Carolyne Volpe Curley

Passaic Avenue across from Essex County Airport, Fairfield PHOTO: Fiona Curley

5:27pm

Fairfield: Passaic Avenue near Boardwalk Pizza
- Tree down and blocking the lane
Fairfield: New Dutch Lane
- Tree down and blocking the lane
- Live Wires down, brush and bushes on fire

5:29pm

West Caldwell: Grover Lane
- unclear

5:31pm

North Caldwell: Maywood Court at Gould Avenue
- Utility Pole down across Maywood

Williamsburg Drive, Roseland PHOTO: Michele Madia Valeriani

5:32pm

Roseland: Passaic Avenue near Green Avenue
- Utility Pole on fire

5:33pm

West Caldwell: Bloomfield Avenue near Johnson Avenue
- Office building ceiling collapse
North Caldwell: Hamilton Drive North at Rosemont Court
- Road blocked by tree issues
North Caldwell: Evergreen Drive at North Terrace
- Road blocked by tree issues

5:35pm

West Caldwell: Oak Grove Road by White Birch Terrace
- 2 large Tree into house

5:36pm

North Caldwell: Evergreen Drive by Green Place
- Tree into back of house

5:37pm

Fairfield: Hollywood Avenue by Big Piece Road
- Utility Pole snapped; Live Wires down

5:39pm

Fairfield: Horseneck Road near Park Avenue
- Tree down

5:41pm

North Caldwell: Hamilton Drive East by Green Place
- Live Wires down, large branches down

5:42pm

West Caldwell: Thrumont Road by Westover Avenue
- Live Wires down

5:44pm

West Caldwell: Sunnie Terrace by Westville Avenue
- Live Wires detached from House

Police begin welfare checks of residences, including homes where children are on their own.

5:45pm

Fairfield: Fairfield Road near Woodland Road
- Smoke condition

5:48pm

West Caldwell: Park Street near Evergreen Road
- Trees across Park Street
- Live Wires down
Fairfield: Brook Street by Clinton Road
- Tree down, Live Wires down

5:51pm

North Caldwell: Central Avenue near Grandview Avenue
- Tree hanging across wires
- Tree on car
- Grandview Avenue closed
Fairfield: Brook Street by Oak Road
- Utility Pole into House
- Live Wires low hanging across Brook Street - road closed

5:52pm

Montville / Fairfield - Bloomfield Avenue
- Live Wires down
- Bloomfield Avenue closed down

Repeated call for all available First Responders and Work Crews to report to their headquarters.

5:55pm

West Caldwell: Lombard Drive near Pine Tree Place
- Live Wires down

5:58pm

North Caldwell: Glenview Road near Ferndale Road
- Tree and Live Wires down

Roseland Methodist Church, Eagle Rock Avenue PHOTO: Carolyne Volpe Curley

5:59pm

Roseland: Eagle Rock Avenue, Methodist Church

Large Tree Branch down across driveway

Midvale Avenue near Esposito Drive, Fairfield PHOTO: Mark Andrew Bilhuber

6:04pm

Fairfield: Midvale Avenue near Esposito Drive
- Large Tree down blocking Esposito Drive
- Multiple Live Wires and Utility poles down
  - Esposito Drive closed

6:08pm

West Caldwell: Westover Avenue near Ravine Avenue
- Live Wires down

6:12pm

Fairfield: Henning Drive and Hollywood Avenue
- Low hanging Live Wires
- Large tree down

6:14pm

Fairfield: Big Piece Road and Horseneck Road
- Live Wires down, connected to house

6:16pm

Fairfield: Big Piece Road near DPW building
- Tree blocking road
- Tree into House
- Big Piece closed near Dell Court

6:20pm

West Caldwell: Woodmere Road near James Caldwell HS
- Live Wire down blocking entrance to house

Hamilton Drive South by Woodland Place, North Caldwell PHOTO: Lisa Margolis Goldstein

6:22pm

North Caldwell: Grandview Place near Grandview Avenue
- Tree down

6:25pm

Location unclear
- Transformer and Live Wires down

Alan Drive, Fairfield PHOTO: Lisa Pitera Pasternak‎

6:26pm

Fairfield: Craig Place near Bodkin Road
- Tree down; Neighbor dispute over ownership

Gazebo from lower deck landed upside down on upper deck, Lane Avenue, Caldwell PHOTO: Janna Smith

6:29pm

Caldwell: Parkway West near Oak Grove Road
- Live Wires down

6:30pm

Caldwell: Bowers Road near Cherry Lane
- Live Wires down

6:31pm

Fairfield: Gately Overpass near Fairfield Road
- Tree down

6:32pm

West Caldwell: Lane Avenue near Klimback Court
- Tree into Garage

6:39pm

Fairfield: Stewart Place near Commerce Road
- Tree issue

6:41pm

Unclear Location: Park Avenue
- Tree into Garage

7:02pm

West Caldwell: Hillside Avenue near Harrison Street
- Tree into House

Kennedy Drive, Fairfield PHOTO: Fairfield Police

7:06pm

Fairfield: Kennedy Drive near Holly Drive
- Large tree down across driveway

7:23pm

North Caldwell: West Essex High School / Middle Schools
- Large Tree Down, Branches Down, Live Wires Down

7:31pm

Fairfield: Big Piece Road near Dell Court
- Uprooted Tree into house with Gas Line exposed

7:55pm

West Caldwell: Evergreen Road near Park Street
- Tree Down

8:04pm

Caldwell: Westville Avenue near Thomas Street
- Tree Down on property

8:12pm

West Caldwell: Elmwood Terrace near McKinley Avenue
- Live Wires down

8:18pm

Caldwell: Highview Road near Prospect Street
- Tree into House

By the end of the Storm, over 90 streets which included hundreds of residents, were without power:

CALDWELL
- Beekman Hill Road
- Birkendene Road
- Bloomfield Avenue
- Bowers Road
- Brookside Avenue
- Cedars Road
- Cherry Lane
- Cleveland Road
- Crane Street
- Elizabeth Street
- Elm Road
- Erwin Place
- Ferndale Road
- Gladding Road
- Gould Place
- Grover Lane
- Hatfield Street
- Highview Road
- Hillside Avenue
- Linwood Terrace
- Overlook Road
- Parkway East
- Personette Street
- Prospect Street
- Roseland Avenue surges
- Ryerson Avenue
- Seymour Street
- Thomas Street
- Washburn Street

ESSEX FELLS
- Avon Drive
- Devon Road
- Forest Way
- Gordon Road
- Grove Street
- Hawthorne Road
- Holton Lane
- Oak Lane
- Old Chester Road
- Oval Road
- Park Lane
- Rensselaer Road
- Roseland Avenue
- Stewart Road

FAIRFIELD
- Big Piece Road
- Commerce Road
- Concord Road
- Crestwood Avenue
- Esposito Drive
- Fox Hill Road
- Henning Drive
- Hillside Drive
- Hollywood Avenue
- Kennedy Drive
- Oak Road
- Phylis Lane
- Route 46
- Stewart Place
- Vine Street

NORTH CALDWELL
- Arbor Road
- Brookside Terrace
- Courter Lane
- East Greenbrook Road
- Ferndale Road
- Hill Street
- Mountain Avenue
- Rickland Drive
- White Oak Drive
- Wind Ridge Drive

ROSELAND
- Davenport Avenue
- Eagle Rock Avenue
- Godfrey Avenue
- Mitchell Avenue
- Monroe Avenue
- Roseland Place
- Route 280
- Thackery Drive
- Williamsburg Drive

WEST CALDWELL
- Beechwood Road
- Bloomfield Avenue
- Debaun Avenue
- Distler Avenue
- Farrington Street
- Gardens
- Johnson Avenue
- Lee Drive
- Parkview Ave
- Richard Avenue
- Runnymede
- Sanford Avenue
- Westville Avenue

Sign up for Daily and Breaking News Emails

A Timeline of Events in Saturday's Police Investigation at James Caldwell High School

2/25/2018

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com
Published 10:30pm

WEST CALDWELL, NJ - On Saturday, Feb. 24, West Caldwell Police and police from the surrounding West Essex community responded immediately to James Caldwell High School on reports of an individual possibly at the school with a gun.

What follows is a timeline of events which eventually led to the arrest of former student Michael Schmitt, 18, of West Caldwell.

Michael Schmitt

Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018

2:16pm

A call came into West Caldwell Police from a student at James Caldwell High School stating that she had received a Tweet from a student with a gun displayed in his photo, along with a disturbing soundclip
The student and many of her classmates were present at the school to participate in the school's annual Music Marathon which was scheduled to take place until 6pm
Within seconds a call went out, first to West Caldwell patrol units, and then to all West Essex police patrol units, asking them to report to the school to investigate the possible presence of a handgun
The female student sent a copy of the Tweet to her mother who contacted a school administrator

Besides the threatening photograph of a male holding a gun, police were also presented with a recording which was attached to it, presumably recorded by the same male
- The recording was attached to the image shown above which specified JCHS, the initials of the high school
- In the recording, the male is screaming a highly explicit and violent verbal attack against either a specific female or females in general
- The recording can be found online here under the user name illschmitt

2:17pm

Patrol units from West Caldwell Police, Caldwell Police, Essex Fells Police, Fairfield Police and North Caldwell all responded to the school and formed a perimeter around the exterior
A West Caldwell officer who had gone inside of the school reported that all appeared normal

2:19pm

The school administrator and the student's mother met a West Caldwell officer outside of the building and displayed the content of the Tweet

2:22pm

School Administration asked students and guests to report immediately to the auditorium
Performers for the music production all reported to a music room where they went into a practiced locked down, which included:
- door locked
- lights off
- staying silently in a closet
- or lying down on the floor
- windows locked and shades drawn

2:23pm

Four armed West Caldwell officers began an interior inspection of the school, in practiced formation
The entire outside exterior perimeter of the school was declared "locked down" and waiting patrols units surrounded the school in a protective formation

2:38pm

A search of all of the hallways in each wing and all of the unlocked rooms in the building was completed and declared safe
Police asked for a custodian to unlock the other classrooms

2:48pm

A group of Students from the auditorium were led out of the building to the safety of the waiting exterior patrol units

2:49pm

A second group of Students from the Auditorium were led out to safety

2:55pm

The Custodian was located and an inspection of the locked rooms began

2:58pm

A third group of Students from the locked down room were led out to safety

2:59pm

A fourth group of Students from the locked down room were led out to safety

3pm

The school was turned over to the school administration
All mutual aid police were released from protective duty

West Caldwell Police Chief Gerard Paris then released the following statement:

West Caldwell Police was notified
of a potential threat at the high school.
Officers were sent to investigate and administrators
put the school in to a lock down as a precaution.
No danger was found to the students.
Our investigation continues.

Michael Schmitt PHOTO: Essex County Jail

On Sunday, afternoon, Paris then stated the following information about Saturday's incident:

The West Caldwell Police received a report of a threatening message which was sent through social media during the school's Music Marathon
Caldwell, Essex Fells, Fairfield and North Caldwell all assisted West Caldwell Police while the school was placed on lock down and no threats were found
Police tied Michael Schmitt to the social media post and took him into custody
Schmitt was charged with False Public Alarm, 2nd Degree
Schmitt was brought to the Essex County Jail and is awaiting a hearing

The following notice was then sent out to parents from the school administration:

Dear JCHS Students and Parents/Guardians,

I know many of you have been waiting for additional details regarding yesterday's lockdown and tomorrow's school procedures. I have been in close contact with the West Caldwell Police and here is some of the information that I now have permission to share with you.

The student who posted the threatening message and song on social media was arrested, is in the Essex County Jail and is awaiting a hearing (which will not happen until tomorrow afternoon).
This student acted alone.
The student was never on the JCHS campus on Saturday,
- he never indicated having plans to go to the JCHS campus or hurt random people at the high school,
- but since "JCHS" was in his post, the building was put into lockdown.
- Fortunately, the police quickly had the boy in custody.
The West Caldwell Police confirmed that there is no threat to the high school and it is safe to have school on Monday.
Although there is no threat to the school, we will have an increased police presence at the school tomorrow so students, faculty, and parents feel more secure.
As far as procedures at our school tomorrow, there will be a few slight adjustments:
- We will be cancelling 7:10 classes tomorrow so I have time to speak with the teachers before they start their school day. Zero labs will meet tomorrow.
- Since there will not be 7:10 classes, we are asking that no student arrive at school before 7:45 a.m. tomorrow.
- We also want all students to enter the building in the morning through the Athletic Lobby doors or the Auditorium Lobby doors.
- Again, there is no threat, but we will have administrators at both entrances so we see if anyone seems upset or nervous, and be a resource if needed.
- Students may still be dropped off on Park Street, but those students will have to walk to the front of the building to enter.
- Detective Mazzeo and I will be meeting with the music students during mod 1-2 and mod 3-4 to help bring closure to this event.

After the Parkland shooting, Detective Mazzeo and I decided to meet with every student to review our security procedures and answer questions. We planned to meet tomorrow to develop a schedule because I wanted these meeting to be with relatively small groups to make sure all students are heard. We still plan to have these security meetings, but if any student would like to speak with either of us sooner, please see me or send an email.

I know that despite the assurances of the West Caldwell Police, some students are still nervous about coming to school tomorrow, I hope this additional information makes most of you feel more comfortable and secure. Certainly, the police presence tomorrow will make it one of the safest days to come to school.

As I mentioned in my email on Saturday, I regret that our students had to experience this lockdown, but I am proud of the actions of our students, faculty, administrators, and the West Caldwell Police.
Please contact me with any questions.

Sincerely,
Jim Devlin
Principal
James Caldwell High School
973-228-6981

While the investigation continues, West Caldwell Police are asking anyone who has information about this matter to contact them at:
973-226-4114.

Sign up for Daily and Breaking News Emails

West Essex Area Police Investigate Recent Car Thefts and Burglaries

11/5/2015

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com
Published 6:10am

Credit: Carolyne Volpe Curley

WEST ESSEX, NJ - After a string of recent incidents, area police are reminding residents to lock their cars, and remove all valuable items from vehicles left unattended.

Wednesday / Thursday - Nov. 4/5

North Caldwell
8 car break-ins on streets running off of different areas of Mountain Avenue and items of value which were left inside were stolen

Tuesday / Wednesday - Nov. 3/4

West Caldwell
Mercedes stolen from Westville Avenue in the block between Thomas and Elizabeth Street
West Caldwell
5 cars were broken into on Forest Avenue, Crane Avenue and Gates Avenue

Friday / Saturday - Oct. 30/31

North Caldwell
Car stolen from Squire Hill Road

Sunday / Monday - Oct. 25/26

Fairfield
Mercedes Benz stolen from Glenroy Road South driveway

Thursday / Friday - Oct 22/23

West Caldwell
Mercedes was stolen on Park Avenue between Elmwood Terrace and Harding Roads

Sign up for Daily and Breaking News Emails

<<Previous

Police

Category 10 Winds, Along with Intense Squall and Thunderstorms, Create Instant Chaos Across West Essex Tuesday

A Timeline of Events in Saturday's Police Investigation at James Caldwell High School

West Essex Area Police Investigate Recent Car Thefts and Burglaries

Archives

Categories