On Wednesday, June 17, Port Authority Police and the Newark Fire Department responded to a shipping container fire at the Port Newark Container Terminal. A straddle crane operator noticed smoke coming from a container scheduled to be loaded onto a ship for an overseas voyage. The container, loaded with motor vehicles and automotive parts, was stacked on top of another container. The operator lowered it to the ground so firefighters could access it.
Once the container was opened, firefighters discovered two vehicles suspended from the container’s ceiling, preventing them from entering. It was determined that a vehicle beneath one of the suspended vehicles was the probable source of the fire. That vehicle was removed from the container.
Shipping container fires always present unique challenges for first responders. In most cases, responders receive shipping documents identifying the container’s contents, allowing them to proceed accordingly. In this incident, however, the suspended vehicles were unexpected and required a different approach to ensure responder safety.
A professionally coordinated effort by the Newark Fire Department, the Port Authority Police Department and the keen awareness of the straddle crane operator resulted in the successful mitigation of the incident.