Oradell DPW employee dies on job
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
By ASHLEY KINDERGAN and JOSEPH AX
STAFF WRITER
An Oradell public works employee died on the job Tuesday when a small steamroller pinned him against a parked car as he filled a pothole on a quiet side street, authorities said.
Douglas Van Valen, 28, of New Milford, who was a volunteer firefighter in Oradell and in his hometown, was pronounced dead at Hackensack University Medical Center late Tuesday afternoon.
Van Valen, a Navy veteran who leaves behind a fiancee, became trapped against the car on Reis Avenue when the paving machine lurched forward as another DPW worker operated it, police and town officials said.
Investigators were trying to determine if the machine malfunctioned, Oradell Police Chief Rhynie Emanuel said.
"Most would say it's a routine task, but when heavy equipment is involved, it's always something to be very careful with," Borough Administrator Wolfgang Albrecht Jr. said.
Van Valen's father, Kenneth, said his son served two tours in the Persian Gulf aboard the USS John C. Stennis, an aircraft carrier. Kenneth Van Valen said his son worked for the DPWs in Bergenfield and Paramus after serving for four years in the Navy.
"I worried about him. I went to Hawaii twice to meet his ship when he came back from the Persian Gulf," Kenneth Van Valen said.
The younger Van Valen planned to be married next year. Besides his fiancee, he is survived by a brother, a sister and his father.
Purple and black bunting was draped across the sign in front of the Oradell firehouse Tuesday afternoon in remembrance of Van Valen, and both the Oradell and New Milford fire departments posted photos and tributes to him on their Web sites.
"He was a young, outstanding firefighter," said New Milford Fire Chief Dave Stormer. "He was probably one of the best firefighters we had."
Fighting fires was Van Valen's passion, his father said. Kenneth Van Valen said his son expected to find out this week if he had passed a state test that would qualify him to become a paid firefighter.
In Oradell, he was one of three firefighters on call during the daytime shift, Oradell Fire Chief David Gangemi said.
Teachers in Bergenfield, where Van Valen graduated high school, remembered a quiet, polite student who was well liked by his classmates and got excellent grades. Van Valen played trumpet in the school's band and earned his Eagle Scout badge. His father said he also played varsity soccer.
"I recall him being looked up to as a student leader in his later years," said Brian Timmons, the director of the band and an assistant at the time. "He was very easy to get along with."
"This is a great family," said Michael Kuchar, the superintendent of schools in Bergenfield and the high school guidance counselor when Van Valen graduated. "He was an all-around good American kid. He's what every parent hopes for in their child."
Albrecht said the borough is making grief counselors available to borough employees today and Thursday.
"He was a standout for the department," Albrecht said. "He came to work every day with the idea of doing a little better."
Kenneth Van Valen said his son would have celebrated his birthday on Oct. 13. He was born on a Friday, but his family always considered the number 13 lucky, his father said.
"The first day he was born, he won a turkey for us," Kenneth Van Valen said. "I put his name in a raffle and he won a holiday turkey for us. ... He was always looking out for somebody."
E-mail:
kindergan@northjersey.com and
ax@northjersey.com
7202953
bad day in my town
