NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — The NTSB is providing answers on the massive cargo ship fire that killed two Newark firefighters nearly two years ago at Port Newark.
The July 2023 fire was sparked by a vehicle that investigators say should have never been on the ship and the message behind the NTSB hearing is that it was a tragedy that never should have happened.
A series of three mistakes led to the deaths of Wayne Brooks and Augie Acabou — and now the feds are rushing to try and ensure similar issues don’t happen at other ports across the country.
The NTSB reported on its findings Tuesday morning in the nation’s capital. First, the cause of the fire was a jeep that was being used to push old cars onto the cargo ship.
It caught fire which quickly spread to the ship loaded with combustible vehicles. It turns out that it never should have been used in the first place and it is against federal regulations.
Investigators say it was pushing cars well beyond its tow capacity and its warning light was reported being on before the fire. The NTSB says no port should be using unapproved vehicles.
Next, the ship’s fire suppression system didn’t work properly.
Ship workers filled the vessel with CO2 to put out the flames, but the crew couldn’t close a deck door because the controls to operate it were on the inside, not the outside.
If the door was closed, federal investigators say the fire would have been put out and the investigators never would have been sent inside in the first place.
The NTSB said crews could not close this deck door because the control to operate it were on the inside.
And third, the NTSB said local firefighters were sent inside without being notified about the dangers and risks and they did not have the proper maritime training to fight dangerous ship fires.
“Staff found that the NFD’s lack of marine vessel firefighting training left the land-based firefighters unprepared to respond to a vessel fire, resulting in an ineffective response that contributed to the fires spread, vessels damaged, and led to the firefighters casualties,” an official said at the hearing.
The Port Authority issued a new policy on what vehicles can and cannot be used to push cargo.
The feds also issued a series of recommendations including all agencies to have written emergency plans, for control panels to be located outside of deck doors and more formal maritime training for firefighters.
RELATED | Newark fallen firefighter families file lawsuits after deadly cargo ship fire
Dan Krauth has more on the lawsuits filed on Thursday.
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