Emergency crews respond overnight as ammonia leak at Bergen processing plant is quickly contained by trained employees

Bergen, New York – A potentially dangerous ammonia leak at the Nortera processing plant on Church Street was quickly brought under control overnight, thanks to the fast action and training of plant employees.

Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene after the leak was reported, but officials say the situation was handled before it could escalate. According to Bergen Fire Chief Kevin Bruton, the employees were able to isolate the source of the leak and ventilate the facility, making a full-scale hazmat response unnecessary.

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“The employees with all their training and knowledge were able to isolate the problem, ventilate the building and we didn’t have to run in and get Class A hazmat suits and make a big deal out of it, so we didn’t have to evacuate anything,” Bruton said. “Everything went really well and Notera did a really good job of isolating the problem and keeping us out of the mix.”

All workers inside the plant were evacuated as a precaution and were accounted for before firefighters arrived on the scene. No injuries have been reported.

Officials believe the leak originated from a machine inside the facility. While the immediate danger has passed, an investigation is underway to determine exactly what caused the malfunction.

Ammonia is commonly used in food processing plants as part of refrigeration systems, but it can be hazardous if released into the air in large quantities. In this case, prompt action by Nortera staff helped avoid any health risks or environmental concerns.

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Chief Bruton credited the plant’s emergency protocols and employee preparedness for preventing a much larger incident. “It could’ve been worse,” he said, “but the response was professional and well-managed.”

Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation to ensure safety measures remain in place as the investigation continues.