the dramatic hearing into last Summer's Port Newark cargo ship fire wrapped up today with investigators from the US Coast Guard and National Transportation safety board learning even more new details about the deadly incident including confirmation from a doctor in the armed forces medical examiner system on what killed the two Newark firefighters who got trapped in the blaze Wayne Brooks Jr and Augusto Acabou had toxic levels of carbon dioxide in their bodies their deaths not the result of burns or blunt force trauma it's just one example of the gritty details shared during six days of painstaking testimony Ted Goldberg reports was the key information con uh conveyed by the ship's crew to you were you able to understand eventually yes took some teeth pulling on the last day of scheduled testimony into the investigation of the fire on the grande Costa D'Avorio last summer battalion chief James Kupko laid out how Newark fire Fighters didn't have a complete picture on how to fight the fire were you aware that the watertight door on Deck 12 was um open and that they were unable to get it closed there was anything mechanically wrong with it that information was not offered up by the ship's crew battalion chief Kupko testified that between the language barrier and spotty radio reception it was difficult for firefighters to get control over the fire as it spread quickly at any point were you made aware uh that they were having issues closing that ramp off we were never made aware of any mechanical issues according to his testimony it got so hot on board that firefighters boots were falling apart it was just members that had the leather boots uh which are purchased by themselves it appeared that the water that was pooling from them cooling the cars on Deck 12 was being heated up by the surface I'm not a a scientist but it appeared that the the glue that attaches the boot to the shoe was coming undone another issue for New York firefighters was unfamiliar territory as former Fire Chief and current assistant public safety director Rufus Jackson testified yesterday battling shipboard fires was unfamiliar territory and few firefighters were ever properly trained how many Newark firefighters were in attendance with you estimation I don't recall the actual numbers I I do recall that there was one other member who was under my previous command who was in attendance that was on the ship that night as well some people are blaming the lack of training on chief Jackson whose testimony yesterday confirmed that firefighters haven't gotten in-person training for shipboard fires since 2014 Edward Kelly leads the International Association of firefighters Union and yesterday he said the New York fire department needs new leadership that reports directly to the mayor not a division of Public Safety reporting to police officers it's time to prioritize firefighting in the city of Newark on the steps outside of where the hearing is happening Kelly spoke with the victim's families yesterday and and said Jackson must be replaced meanwhile in testimony today battalion chief Kupko said that the training he did receive nearly a decade ago was helpful but he could have used more what if any information was provided during that training uh that that you utilized in this situation it was just general knowledge how the vehicle is going to be on the ship the layout the gentleman who gave the course report Authority was a retired police officer he stated in the course this is not for tactics it's just for awareness you said you have annual exercises how was newark's participation in those minimal and how about the other 16 municipalities strong they wanted to participate but they just didn't have the money Port security specialist Frank Gorman leads New Jersey's Regional fireboat task force he testified yesterday that he knew newark's main fireboat was out of service the day of the fire you aware of any circumstances where the Newark fire department fireboats were called upon but were unavailable because they were out of service yes and that happened prior to this incident yes as the hearing winds down the investigation continues for the Coast Guard and the national Transportation safety board they say a report will come out once their investigation ends in Union I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight news