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Bayonne residents press council over scrap‑metal yard fire; council to seek state law changes
Summary
Residents told the council that a fire at a scrap‑metal yard at 92 East 2nd Street sent smoke into nearby buildings and impeded firefighters; the council said it will pursue enforcement and a joint letter to state lawmakers to cap scrap‑pile heights.
Gene Perry, a Bayonne resident, told the municipal council that firefighters struggled to enter a locked scrap‑metal yard during a recent blaze and that smoke from the fire made residents "couldn't breathe" outside and inside their homes. "Someone's gonna get killed," Perry said, urging the council to move the site or force compliance with safety rules.
Several other residents echoed Perry. Sharon Nedrowski said she was surprised the city did not send an OEM alert about the incident and asked that emergency notifications be used more consistently. Tom Solari called the yard a "death trap for our firemen" and urged the city to enforce code and remove the operation from the location.
Council responses emphasized legal and zoning limits on immediate removal. The council president said the problem stems in part from zoning that predates current residential redevelopment, and that the city has to operate "within the confines of the law" — using fines, code enforcement and litigation when appropriate. The council president also said additional violations were issued after the most recent incident and proposed drafting a joint letter from the council to state legislators asking them to amend state law to cap the height/size of scrap piles.
City staff also noted outreach opportunities: the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is holding meetings the council may attend virtually and staff said they would try to have a city representative report back. Council members invited residents to planning and master‑plan meetings when the municipality next revisits zoning rules.
The council did not adopt a new ordinance at the meeting; it directed staff and counsel to pursue enforcement steps already available and to prepare a joint letter for the city's state representatives asking for statutory changes to limit scrap‑pile sizes.
What happens next: the administration said it will circulate the draft letter to council members and follow up on any NJDEP meeting notes. The council did not set a formal timeline for legislative outreach at the meeting.
