Cooking Oil Spill Behind Restaurant Draws Firefighter Response In Ridgewood: PHOTOS

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Ridgewood's Fire Department is investigating a large spill of cooking oil behind a restaurant on Friday that caused them to undertake cleanup operations, the chief said on Monday.

Chief John Judge said, "There are a number of factors involved with and is under investigation," but declined to elaborate at this time.

Firefighters had to use bags of absorbent pads when they responded to the spill in the rear of 51 North Broad St., noted Boyd A. Loving, who took the photos above.

The lot is behind the Steel Wheel Tavern but is a common parking lot.

Loving noted, "Ridgewood PD will be notified if the cause is found to be theft/attempted theft of valuable used cooking grease/oil."

Thieves have been known to steal cooking oil from restaurants. In fact, in 2019, the FBI busted a 21-person oil theft ring that stole nearly $4 million in "yellow grease in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, the AP reported.

The police referred questions to the Fire Department.

More photos can be found at the page for the Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47 and on Loving's Instagram page.