Through sobs, cargo ship officer says crew is ‘broken’ over deaths of 2 firefighters in blaze

By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

UNION, N.J. (AP) — A top officer of an Italian cargo ship that caught fire last summer in one of America’s busiest seaports broke down in sobs recalling his crew’s initial efforts to put out the blaze. Benito LaFauci is chief mate of the Grande Costa D’Avorio. He told relatives of two Newark, New Jersey, firefighters who died battling the blaze that he and the crew “are broken” over the deaths. LaFauci said Thursday that the crew tried as hard as it could to put out the fire while waiting for the Newark Fire Department to arrive. The July 5 fire killed Newark Fire Captains Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks Jr.