New Jersey firefighters die in cargo ship fire

Two New Jersey firefighters lost their lives Wednesday night while fighting a fire on a cargo ship carrying more than 1,000 cars. Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr. were identified by the Newark Fire Department. Mayor Ras Baraka described them as “two of our best,” with Acabou serving the city fire department for nine years and Brooks serving for over 16 years. Five other firefighters suffered burned feet, smoke inhalation, and exhaustion, said Newark Fire Chief Rufus Jackson. Fire crews from across the state fought the blaze in the Port of Newark for nearly 12 hours.

How was the fire started? Newark Fire Department on Thursday afternoon had not yet identified the fire's cause. Jackson said at least five cars were ablaze several stories below deck when his crew first responded to the fire Wednesday night. Grimaldi Deep Sea, the owner of the ship, said there were no lithium car batteries, other hazardous cargo, or oil leaks aboard the ship.

Dig deeper: Read the report in WORLD Magazine on Dan Roghair’s experience as fire chief of Orange City, Iowa.