Coast Guard releases new report on Port Newark cargo ship fire that killed 2 firefighters
The more than 100-page report from the U.S. Coast Guard's Office details what went wrong during the fire and outlines what needs to change.
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New information has been released regarding a deadly fire aboard a cargo ship at Port Newark more than two years ago. It was a fire that claimed the lives of two Newark firefighters.
The more than 100-page report from the U.S. Coast Guard's Office details what went wrong during the fire aboard the Italian-flagged cargo ship and outlines what needs to change to prevent such an incident from happening again.
On July 5, 2023, the cargo vessel was loading hundreds of used vehicles at Port Newark when a fire broke out. Investigators say a Jeep, improperly used to push other vehicles onto the ship, overheated and caught fire.
The ship's crew activated its carbon dioxide fire suppression system, but a critical garage door could not be fully sealed, rendering the system ineffective, according to the report.
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When Newark firefighters arrived, investigators found they lacked crucial information about the ship's layout, onboard hazards and firefighting systems.
Firefighters Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr. were killed.
The fire burned for five days before it was fully extinguished.
The Coast Guard says the blaze caused an estimated $23 million in damage and prompted a formal investigation.
The investigators issued five safety recommendations, six administrative recommendations, and a safety alert, calling for updated vessel construction standards, improved training and coordination for shore-based firefighters, enhanced port-wide response planning and OSHA inspections focused on pusher vehicle safety.
All of these measures are aimed at strengthening safety, coordination, and training—so a tragedy like this never happens again.
