Greenpointers received several tips this morning concerning a strong, smoky smell reported from near the McGolrick Park area. According to NY4, that smell can be traced to a large fire at New Jersey’s Port of Newark.
The fire first started last night at a scrap metal recycling facility.
The fire is responsible for a deterioration in the city’s air quality this morning. “As the fire burned, the air quality index (AQI) at Central Park rose by 11 a.m. to 152, a level considered unhealthy for everyone, even those otherwise in good health,” says NY4, “At that level, the EPA recommends everyone consider reducing time outdoors or staying inside altogether.”
The presence of smoke has been recorded in Manhattan and the Bronx as well.