Federal legislation calling for studies on vessel fires within three nautical miles of the shoreline to reduce vessel and waterfront facility risk to local communities was passed by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently.
The bill was introduced by Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08) in response to the tragic vessel fire that occurred in Newark in July 2023, which claimed the lives of two Newark firefighters, Augusto “Augie” Acabou and Wayne “Bear” Brooks Jr.
According to reports, firefighters, including from Bayonne, Hoboken, North Hudson, and Paterson, arrived at the site to find five to seven vehicles fully engulfed on the 10th floor of the massive cargo ship. The blaze spread to the 11th and 12th floors as firefighters battled the intense heat.