Ship mate says he saw vehicle smoking hours before it caught fire, killing 2 New Jersey firefighters

By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

UNION, N.J. (AP) — New testimony in the case of a fatal cargo ship fire in New Jersey sheds some light on whether it could have been prevented. A crew member of the Italian-owned Grande Costa D’Avorio says he saw smoke coming from a seaport vehicle being used to push inoperative cars onto a cargo ship at least nine hours before it caught fire. The blaze aboard the vessel killed two Newark firefighters. Marian Ciumala testified Friday that a Jeep was emitting smoke on the morning of the July 2023 fire. But he said it later appeared to be working normally. Authorities say the Jeep caught fire hours later, touching off the fatal blaze.