Activists tell Hudson County commissioners a Prosecutor’s Office stairwell is locked; commissioners say they will request inspection

Speakers at Thursday's Hudson County commissioners meeting raised an allegation that a stairwell in the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is locked behind doors, creating what they described as a life‑threatening fire hazard.

"During a recent visit to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, I noticed a glaring fire safety violation. The stairwell on the sixth floor is behind a set of locked doors," said a speaker using the name Full Court Press during public comment. Full Court Press said the condition was observed within minutes of entering the building and called on authorities to take action.

Another commenter, Leroy Truth of Leroy Truth Investigations, urged immediate closure of the space until the doors are unlocked, describing the alleged condition as a code violation and saying he had been unable to reach a live fire official while attempting to report it. "That building is out of code. It has to be shut down immediately until they unlock those doors," Truth said.

Commissioner William O'Dea said he would reach out to the relevant local fire authority and asked staff to follow up; no county official gave a recorded confirmation of an inspection or closure during the meeting. The claims were made during public comment and remain allegations on the meeting record.

What to watch

- Whether the county or the local fire marshal confirms an inspection and reports corrective action; the board asked for follow‑up. - If verified, corrective steps could include unlocking egress doors and other immediate safety remediation. At the meeting no county official provided a contemporaneous confirmation of inspection or remedy.