"Our hearts are heavy": New Jersey in mourning after cargo ship fire kills 2 firefighters at Port Newark

NEWARK, N.J. -- Two Newark firefighters lost their lives battling a fire in a cargo ship Wednesday.

Wednesday night, firefighters were called to Port Newark. Moments later, a mayday call was heard for both firefighters. 

They were identified as Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks, Jr. 

• Read more: Newark firefighters killed in cargo vessel fire identified as Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr.

What we know about the fire

The raging fire that consumed several levels of the cargo ship at Port Newark broke out shortly before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. 

"Firefighters struggled through intense heat and unimaginable conditions to try to extinguish a fire that had the potential to cause main or major damage to not just the cargo ship but impact the operation of the entire port," Mayor Ras Baraka said Thursday morning.

The ship, flying under the Italian flag, carries over 1,000 vehicles. A source said the ship was loaded with used cars that were apparently headed overseas to be refurbished and sold.

The fire started on the 10th floor of the 12-story vessel and spread to the two above.

CBS New York had live team coverage from the scene on Thursday morning. 

Newark firefighters, with two vessels at the port, were the first on the scene. 

Acabou, 45, and Brooks, 49, lost their lives after getting trapped inside. 

"This is the ultimate, ultimate sacrifice of the fire service, to lose a brother or sister of this profession," Newark Fire Chief Rufus Jackson said. "I ask that each and every one of us -- not only the ones who are standing in front of me, but the citizens of Newark, the communities throughout our country -- fire service is not just a municipality, it's a brotherhood, a sisterhood throughout the country, and I ask that each of them pray for our brothers."

Crews from across the region and other firefighters, including the FDNY, went inside, sending out mayday signals. 

"There was a mayday. We had one of our brothers was lost within the fire. We had the brave men and women of the Newark Fire Department make the ultimate sacrifice to bring this individual out, and made multiple efforts under extreme conditions, extreme heat," Jackson said. "They were able to bring Firefighter Acabou out. Then, we had another mayday, which was Firefighter Wayne Brooks."

Three other Newark and two Elizabeth firefighters also injured and rushed to the hospital. 

"Went into to extinguish this fire and somewhere around the 10th and 11th floor which was on fire with 11th and 12 with vehicles. They begin to extinguish this fire," Jackson said. 

"I saw Newark's bravest struggling with every ounce of their strength and every measure of their training to rescue and save their brothers who had been trapped ... I sat there and watched firefighters come out of a fire, take all of their things off in complete exhaustion -- from the point of passing out -- then, putting the stuff back on minutes later and getting in line to go back in again. I saw this over and over and over again," said Baraka.

"Imagine trying to make your way through there with 45 pounds of gear, layers of clothing to protect you from the heat," Jackson said.

Training concerns and the vessel's unique structure

The nature of the fire - on a ship - made fighting the blaze difficult on Port Authority property.

"It was approximately 12 stories high. The members went in like we always do, to try to make a bad situation better and went into extinguish this fire," Jackson said.

"The Port Authority has a small crew that fights smaller fires. When they have structural fires, big fires of this sort, they always call Newark,"  Baraka said. "There is no specialized unit Port Authority has."

Jackson said it was a difficult fire to fight, in part because crews may not have been trained properly to handle the uniqueness of the vessel.

"It's definitely a different structure, a different type of firefighting. This vessel was unique, because it's not like it was a residential ship or a yacht," he said, going to explain, "Just like every, I think, department throughout the country, there's a big turnover of firefighters where you have a large number of members retiring all at once, and then you get an influx of new firefighters. And in a department of this size, trainings just don't happen overnight."

• Read more: Port Newark fire: What we know about cargo ship Grande Costa D'Avorio

Newark officials said their firefighters train for something like this, but can't remember the last training.   

"That's a long conversation we are going to have from now until we get real resolution to what needs to be done as we move forward," Baraka said. 

The company that operates the ship, the Grimaldi group, said there were no electric cars or any hazardous material on board. 

New Jersey in mourning as investigation continues

Gov. Phil Murphy said the state is in mourning. 

"Fighting fire aboard a ship is a daunting and complicated endeavor, and yet they served without hesitation. We are all deeply grateful to our firefighters for their unwavering dedication to keeping our communities safe and our hearts are with the Newark fire department and their families," Murphy said.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office, ATF, Coast Guard and Port Authority Police are all investigating. Sources said they are interviewing crew members, and haven't been able to yet pinpoint the exact cause. 

Smoke from the ship continued to fill the sky Thursday afternoon. 

While investigators are still trying to figure out the cause, officials have also launched an investigation to see how the situation was handled and if they could have gone about it differently.

Earlier Thursday morning, a procession for the firefighters traveled from the port to a nearby hospital, as condolences poured in from across the state. 

Reaction pours in

"Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of two Newark firefighters, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty," Murphy said in a statement Thursday morning. "Tammy and I extend our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones, and we pray that those injured have a full and speedy recovery. This tragedy is a painful reminder of the dangers our firefighters face and their remarkable courage."

"The FDNY mourns with the Newark Fire Department after the loss of two Firefighters who were killed while bravely fighting a fire in the Port of Newark early this morning. Our hearts go out to the Newark Fire Department and the families of the two fallen Firefighters," the FDNY tweeted.

"Coast Guard is actively involved with the joint response and focused on the safety of responders, as well as assessing overall impact on the maritime transportation system and the environment," wrote Capt. Zeita Merchant, commander of Coast Guard Sector New York and captain of Port of New York and New Jersey, in a statement. "Our thoughts are with Newark Fire Department, our partner agencies and the families of the firefighters lost during this response. These responders are working in inherently dangerous hazardous conditions when incidents of this nature occur, and their loss is truly tragic."

"ATF Special Agents & S/A Certified Fire Investigators are responding to assist @uscoastguard @PANYNJ Newark FD @NJFireSafety partners & other fire/rescue service & law enforcement personnel at Port of Newark fatal fire," ATF tweeted. "@ATF_NCETR National Response Team activated."

CBS New York learned the ship, called Grande Costa D'Avorio, traveled from Baltimore on a two-day journey. It can hold more than 47,000 tons and was carrying over 1,000 cars at the time.

The ship was built in 2011 and sails under the flag of Italy, because it's owned by one of the country's leading ship owners, the Grimaldi Group. The company specializes in the maritime transport of cars, as well as shipping containers. 

"Sadly, during the firefighting operations, Grimaldi Deep Sea were informed that two firefighters lost their lives. All Company's thoughts, prayers and sympathies are with their families and team currently," the company said in a statement Thursday afternoon. "At this time, it is not known how the fire started, but the Company will undertake a full investigation in close cooperation with all relevant authorities."

The port, officially called the Port Newark Container Terminal, covers about 272 acres -- the largest container port on the East Coast.

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