Families say faulty vehicle caused cargo ship fire that killed two New Jersey firefighters

By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The families of two New Jersey firefighters who were killed battling a July blaze inside a cargo ship say a malfunctioning vehicle being used to load cargo caused the fire. Relatives of Newark firefighters Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr. say upcoming litigation will blame the Italian shipping company that owned the ship, as well as two stevedore companies involved in loading the vessel. The two firefighters died battling a fire that broke out July 5 when the Grande Costa d’Avorio caught fire in Port Newark. A Coast Guard investigation into the cause is ongoing. The shipping company did not respond to a request for comment Friday.