2 New Jersey firefighters died battling a blaze deep in a ship carrying 5,000 cars

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey fire chief says two firefighters were killed and five others injured battling a blaze inside a docked cargo ship carrying 5,000 cars.

It happened Wednesday night at Port Newark. Fire Chief Rufus Jackson says responding firefighters found five to seven vehicles ablaze inside the ship and tried to put it out but were pushed back by the intense heat. The blaze quickly spread from the 10th floor to floors 11 and 12.

Firefighters weren’t initially able to find their colleagues and outside rescue companies from around the state were called in. Augie Acabou, 45, and Wayne Brooks, 49, were found and removed from the structure, but unfortunately they lost their lives, Jackson said.

The Newark Fire Department got support from other companies across New Jersey and New York and they were able to recover the two firefighters’ bodies.

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