A devastating incident unfolded last week at a port in New Jersey when a fire broke out on a cargo ship, resulting in the tragic deaths of two firefighters.
The incident occurred on an Italian-registered car transporter named Grande Costa d’Avorio, where several vehicles caught fire. The local mayor expressed his condolences for the fallen heroes.
At approximately 9:25 p.m. on July 5, firefighters received an emergency call from Port Newark, New Jersey, reporting a fire on the cargo ship.
Chief Rufus Jackson informed the media that upon arrival, they discovered a blaze engulfing five to seven vehicles on the ship’s level 10 deck. The firefighters swiftly commenced their efforts to extinguish the fire.
However, their attempts proved futile as the flames rapidly spread to the level 11 and 12 decks.
Tragically, as the fire escalated, two firefighters became trapped amidst the intensifying inferno. Despite the valiant rescue efforts of their colleagues, the smoke-filled car decks made it challenging to locate and retrieve the trapped individuals.
Firefighting efforts continue aboard the docked Grande Costa D’Avorio cargo ship, carrying more than a thousand vehicles in Newark Port, USA. Two firefighters were killed, and five more injured while attempting to subdue the blaze pic.twitter.com/8xYJsXnCYV— RT (@RT_com) July 7, 2023
Additional rescue teams from neighboring cities were summoned to aid in the operation. Eventually, the missing firefighters were found, but it was too late. They had lost their lives in the line of duty.
As of July 7, the fire continued to rage on, with firefighters estimating that it would persist for several more days.
Governor Phil Murphy (D) disclosed that the fire had extended further, spreading down to the ship’s level 8 and now affecting approximately 300 feet of its length.
The Newark firefighters who initially responded to the incident have been relieved by specialized maritime firefighters employed by the ship’s owner.
However, they are encountering difficulties due to debris from the fire blocking the ship’s drains, causing water from the fire hoses to accumulate in the bilges and jeopardizing the vessel’s stability.
Governor Murphy expressed concerns on Friday, revealing that the ship was tilting three degrees. If the tilt were to increase to five or six degrees, there would be a significant risk of capsizing and colliding with the dock.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) offered his heartfelt admiration for the firefighters and characterized the deaths as a tragic loss for Newark and “all firefighters who understand the perils of entering a burning structure.”
“We lost two firefighters today,” Baraka added.
“A tragedy for us in the city of Newark and tragic for all firefighters who know what it means to go in a burning structure in a danger that you are going to have to experience when you do so,” the mayor continued.
