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Two firefighters were killed while battling a fire inside a cargo ship that was docked at Port Newark in New Jersey on Wednesday (July 5) night.
The fire broke out around 9:30 p.m. on the tenth floor of the ship, which was carrying about 5,000 cars. When firefighters arrived, several vehicles were burning, and the flames quickly spread to other floors of the cargo ship.
Newark Fire Chief Rufus Jackson told reporters that the firefighters were pushed back due to the "intense heat" of the flames. As the fire crew retreated away from the flames, two firefighters got lost in the smoke-filled corridors.
Several different rescue crews were sent inside the ship and, eventually, were able to locate their lost colleagues. They pulled the two men from the burning ship, but they were both pronounced dead at the scene.
The two men were identified as Augusto "Augie" Acabou, 45, and Wayne "Bears" Brooks Jr., 49.
"We lost two firefighters today," said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. "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."
Five firefighters were also injured battling the blaze and were taken to the hospital.
As of Thursday morning, the fire was still burning. Officials have not said what caused the fire.