Firefighter Wayne "Bears" Brooks, Jr.
Newark Fire Department
Newark, New Jersey
At approximately 9:23 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, members of the Newark Fire Department responded to a fire on the Grande Costa D’Avorio Cargo Ship that was docked at Port Newark, New Jersey. Firefighters were fighting the fire on the 10th, 11th, and 12th decks. They made an attempt to extinguish the fire but got pushed back by the intense heat. As they backed out, Firefighter Augusto Acabou and Firefighter Wayne “Bears” Brooks, Jr. became lost and disorientated in the smoke. A mayday was called and a search effort was launched.
They were rescued but were unable to be revived. Firefighter Acabou and Firefighter Brooks were pronounced deceased at the scene. Five firefighters were also injured during this incident. Mutual aid was provided by the New Jersey Urban Search and Rescue, New Jersey Urban Area Security Initiative, the U.S. Coast Guard, FDNY, and numerous other departments. The entire crew of the ship were accounted for.
Age: 49
Sex: Male
Classification: Career
Years of service: 16
Date of incident: July 5, 2023
Date of death: July 5, 2023