A lawsuit filed by 10 Jacksonville firefighters who were injured last year while fighting a cargo ship fire at Blount Island has been transferred to federal court, News4Jax learned Friday.
The lawsuit, filed by the Pajcic & Pajcic law firm, holds Hoegh Autoliners and several other companies responsible for the firefighters’ injuries stemming from the cargo ship fire and resulting explosion.
The 15-floor cargo ship caught fire June 4, 2020, while it was docked at Blount Island. As fire crews fought the flames, an explosion occurred on the eighth deck. Despite wearing protective gear, several firefighters suffered severe burns. None died, but several were hospitalized.
In the end, it took more than 150 firefighters over a week to put out the fire, an effort that cost the city of Jacksonville millions of dollars. Among other things, the lawsuit claims the cargo ship was loaded with 2,400 junked and wrecked cars that didn’t have their batteries and electrical systems disconnected.