On Saturday, fire crews at Port Newark made headway in containing the smouldering flames within a cargo ship. This comes after the tragic incident earlier this week, where two firefighters from New Jersey lost their lives and five others sustained injuries, as published on ABC7NY.
The incident
In a devastating incident at Port Newark, a fire broke out aboard the Italian-flagged cargo ship Grande Costa d’Avorio on Wednesday night. The fire started on the 10th deck, engulfing five to seven vehicles and spreading to the 11th and 12th floors. Tragically, two New Jersey firefighters lost their lives while battling the blaze.
Firefighting efforts led by marine firefighting specialists made significant progress in suppressing the fire. The Coast Guard reported that the fire is now contained on the 11th deck and is no longer spreading to other areas of the vessel. Active fire suppression measures were undertaken both pier-side and on the water.
The first firefighter, Augusto “Augie” Acabou, was rescued from the ship before midnight but sadly passed away at the hospital on Thursday morning. The second firefighter, Wayne “Bear” Brooks Jr., recovered but succumbed to his injuries early Thursday morning.
Casualties
Five firefighters sustained injuries during the cargo ship fire at Port Newark.
One firefighter suffered steam burns, while the others experienced heat exhaustion, smoke inhalation, and respiratory distress.
All three Newark fire captains were released from the hospital, and the burn victim is in stable condition at home.
Efforts are underway to pump out water from the ship to reduce the list and maintain stability.
No oil spills were reported, and air quality is being monitored.
The cause of the fire remains unknown until it is fully extinguished.
The ship primarily operates between the U.S. and West Africa, carrying vehicles and containers.
Other ships at the port remain anchored, waiting for cargo movement, mainly consisting of car carriers.
Minimal impact on container activity, with 99.5% remaining unaffected.
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Source: ABC7NY
