Officials: Fire aboard cargo ship at Port Newark is contained; vessel stabilized
NEWARK, N.J. -- Officials said Saturday the cargo ship fire at Port Newark is contained and the vessel has been stabilized.
According to officials, crews have been able to contain the fire to the ship's 11th deck, and they say the fire is no longer spreading to other areas of the vessel.
They also say that dewatering efforts have been successful, further stabilizing the ship.
Firefighters doused the unrelenting smoke and flames aboard the Grande Costa D'Avorio for over 48 hours, but there did not appear to be smoke coming out of the ship early Saturday morning.
"There's a team of 20-plus firefighters and additional salvage support, who have been fighting this fire around the clock since it began," Tim Wiker, president of Gallagher Marine Systems, said Friday.
Watch Christina Fan's report
The ship been tilting to its starboard side as it takes on water in the firefight. Crews have been using pumps and poking holes through the hull to allow water to drain out.
Officials say the ship will "continue to list between one and two degrees to starboard as a way to accelerate the dewatering process."
The Grimaldi Group, operator of the ship, said the Grande Costa D'Avorio caught fire as cars, vans and trucks were being loaded Wednesday. None of the vehicles were electric, they said.
"A lot of these are used vehicles that probably can't meet requirements on U.S. roads anymore. So these vehicles may not have been the most safe vehicles to begin with," said Sal Mercogliano, a maritime expert.
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Firefighters Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr. were trapped aboard the ship and died Wednesday. Five other firefighters were injured, and sources told CBS New York more first responders reported being impacted by the thick smoke.
The U.S. Coast Guard said there are no reports of waterway pollution. Officials are also monitoring the surrounding area's air quality.