Editor’s note: This story and its headline have been updated to correct the title of the former Newark fire chief.
Former Newark Fire Division Chief Rufus Jackson was questioned by U.S. Coast Guard investigators for more than three hours on Wednesday and explained the division’s protocol in wake of last summer’s deadly fire at Port Newark, where two of his firefighters died.
Jackson said there were a litany of issues in fighting this fire, including a lack of training on specifically shipboard fires, a claim made by others as well. He said firefighters on board also had trouble understanding the crew of the Italian cargo ship due to language barriers, and as confusion built up, so did the fire.
The hearing is scheduled to wrap up Thursday, but could extend into Friday.
