Two firefighters died as they were trying to put out a fire that broke aboard the cargo vessel Grande Costa D’Avorio, in Port Newark, New York.

Two Newark firefighters lost their lives battling a fire in a cargo ship on Wednesday.

Thursday afternoon, there have been two fatalities and six injuries sustained due to responding to the fire aboard the vessel.

According to US officials, the fire broke out on the 10th floor of the ship and then spread to the two floors above.

Crews are now working to gain access to the upper decks of the vessel, which is believed to be the primary source of the ongoing fire, as US Coast Guard reports.

Air quality monitoring is being conducted by the Newark Fire Department and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to ensure safe working conditions and public safety.

In accordance with the latest information given by the US Coast Guard the vessel was completing cargo operations of loading automobiles on to the vessel when the fire began. The crew of the vessel immediately activated the on- board fire suppression procedures while the local fire department was alerted.

The vessel is reportedly carrying 1,200 vehicles and 157 containers that were scheduled to be exported. There are reportedly no electric vehicles or hazardous cargo aboard.

At this time, the cause of the fire is under investigation and a formal investigation will be conducted to identify what caused the fire.

More information about the vessel was given yesterday by Shipping´s Telegraph report.

“On behalf of the Unified Command, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the families and colleagues of the two firefighters who tragically lost their lives, and those injured during the response,” said Capt. Zeita Merchant, Captain of the Port of New York and Jersey. “We continue to work closely with our partner agencies and neighboring jurisdictions. Together, we are pooling our resources, expertise, and equipment to enhance the safety of all responders and maximize the effectiveness of our response efforts.”