Two firefighters, including a Portuguese-American, died and five others were injured in a fire that broke out on a cargo ship docked in the port of Newark, in the United States, local authorities reported Thursday.
“Today we mourn two brothers who gave everything. Both great men who would do anything for their friends and family,” wrote the Luso-American Association of Firefighters on social media.
Augusto Acabou, the Portuguese-American firefighter who lost his life in the fire, was 45 years old and his family came from the Aveiro district, according to the Luso-Americano newspaper.
The ship, which was flying the Italian flag, was loaded with more than a thousand vehicles when the fire broke out.
When firefighters arrived at the port of Newark on Wednesday night, several vehicles were already ablaze on the 10th deck of the freighter, but it quickly spread to the upper decks.
With the intensity of the calls, the firefighters were pushed around by the intense heat and two of them ended up disappearing from the rest of the team, Newark Fire Chief Rufus Jackson said at a news conference Thursday as the fire was still burning. .
Firefighters were initially unable to find the two colleagues, who would later die. Outside rescue companies from across the state of New Jersey were called to the scene and Augusto Acabou, 45, and Wayn Brooks Jr., 49, were eventually found and removed from the structure, but were no longer alive.
In a statement, the company that owns the Grande Costa d’Avorio said the crew immediately activated onboard firefighting procedures and alerted the local firefighting service, prompting an immediate response that was crucial to containing the spread. spread of flames. .
The company also said there were no electric cars or dangerous goods on board the ship, and no fuel spillage was detected, nor was the ship’s stability compromised.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but authorities have opened investigations.
“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of two Newark firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a statement.
Source: TSF
