Body of missing worker found in Passaic River, officials confirm

PASSAIC, N.J. (WABC) -- The body of a 47-year-old bridge worker swept away during a rainstorm has been found along the Passaic River in Rutherford, New Jersey, officials confirmed.

An emergency worker passing the Union Avenue Bridge off Route 21 found the body after 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Authorities said the worker, a state Department of Transportation contractor, was inspecting the President Street Bridge near a brook that feeds into the Passaic River when heavy rains pounded the area. The worker, employed by TransSystem, slipped off the bridge near Passaic and Canal streets in Passaic, N.J., and was swept away by storm waters in Weasel Brook.

TransSystem was hired by the New Jersey Department of Transportation as part of the state's bridge inspection program. Police said another inspector escaped and notified police. A search and rescue operation began shortly after 2:45 p.m. Monday.

"During a downpour that creek can go from 6 to 8 inches to 10 to 12 feet in a matter of minutes, it can knock you off your feet," said Passaic Fire Chief Patrick Trentacoast.

Crews had been searching the shoreline of the Passaic River and the mile-long canal, some of which winds several hundred yards underground.

The worker was not wearing a life jacket. Authorities haven't released his name.

On Monday night, eyewitnesses to the scene relayed what they saw to inspectors from OSHA. "They saw the water coming so they tried to jump," said Lupe Rodriguez.

Rodriguez and his friends watched as two construction workers lowered a ladder into Weasel Brook to make repairs.

"It started raining real fast, the river go up. So my two friends jump to the river and rescue one; we took him out, but the other we couldn't see no more," Rodriguez said. "He tried to grab on the branch, but he couldn't. Tried our best to save his life, but we couldn't."