Several Bayonne residents used the Oct. 15 public‑comment period to press the council for faster action after a fire at a scrap metal yard at 92 East Second Street.

Gene Perry, a Bayonne resident, told the council the yard’s locked gate impeded fire response and that smoke forced people outside to seek fresh air. “Someone’s gonna get killed,” Perry said, asking whether the city could close the location or compel the operator to follow the law.

Sharon Nedrowski, also a resident, said she was surprised there was no OEM emergency notification to tell neighbors to close windows and shelter in place. “People should have been notified to close their windows,” she said, and thanked the fire department for its response.

Tom Solari, another resident, described what he called dangerous site access for first responders and urged the city to “get it out,” calling the operation a “death trap” for firefighters.

An organizer who identified himself as Christian (resident of Newark) asked whether the city’s master plan could be revised to prevent industrial uses from coexisting with residential development; a council member replied that a master‑plan review is required every 10 years and that changes are possible but some properties are grandfathered under state law.

Council response and next steps: A council member (on the record during the meeting) said the administration and public safety departments acted immediately after the incident and that tickets had been issued in the past and more violations were generated after the recent fire. The council member said the issue “lies at the state level” when it comes to capping the size of scrap piles and suggested the council draft a joint letter to the city’s state representatives urging changes to state law limiting pile heights and similar standards. The speaker said a draft letter would be prepared and circulated.

Why it matters: Residents described acute air‑quality and safety concerns following the fire and urged prompt action. The council said it would pursue enforcement where the law allows and seek state level changes to address limits of local authority.

What the transcript records and what it does not: The meeting record shows public comment and council discussion of state‑level zoning and enforcement options and indicates additional violations were issued after the fire. The transcript does not show the council voting on or approving a formal resolution to close the yard or to send the joint letter; the council member said a draft would be prepared for circulation.