(09/20/06) ROSELLE PARK ? Baseball fields are often associated with fun and childhood memories, but some Little League diamonds in Roselle Park are now associated with potential health risks.

Baseball fields off Webster Avenue were ordered closed after an investigation found high levels of lead in the soil. The fields have been a part of the area?s history for nearly 50 years, and parents now want to know where their children will play. As for children who have recently played on the diamonds, the Department of Environmental Protection says no one is in danger at this point in time.

More tests are scheduled for the fields. Town leaders are also looking into the cost of a cleanup operation. High levels of lead contamination can cause convulsions, coma and even death. Lower levels can lead to health problems related to the central nervous system, kidney and blood cells.