A water line rupture at Belleville Police Headquarters sent water through the building's communications room, causing severe damage but failing to knock the township's 911 system offline.

The incident occurred while crews were performing ongoing upgrades to the department's locker rooms. According to township officials, a water line on a top floor was either struck or improperly secured during construction, leading to a significant flood that impacted ceilings, flooring and furniture across multiple levels.

Despite the severe damage to the physical workspace, the township's emergency infrastructure remains intact.

"Our priority is always the safety of our residents," officials said in a statement. "The damage is severe, but there is no reason for alarm. Our 911 system is fully operational. Dispatch is active."

Belleville's police command staff immediately implemented a contingency plan to ensure no calls for service go unanswered. While one dispatch station was directly impacted, the department is utilizing its remaining capacity and backup systems.

Should the situation worsen, a mutual aid agreement is already in place to route all Belleville emergency calls to neighboring Nutley.

The cleanup and recovery effort began immediately, involving a team assessing equipment and beginning repairs.

The flooding is a setback for a building that has been undergoing much-needed facility improvements.

While the locker rooms have been out of commission for over a year, officials promised the police department that they "will see this through" and ensure the facilities are properly restored.