Horizon Terminal Services and SSA Atlantic, LLC, have reached settlements with the firefighters suing them over injuries they suffered in a 2020 cargo ship fire. That leaves Hoegh Autoliners and Grimaldi Deep Sea SPA as the two remaining defendants.
The lawsuits stem from a 15-floor cargo ship fire in the St. Johns River at Blount Island that happened on June 4, 2020. The ship was loaded with cars that were to be transported to western Africa.
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While fighting the fire from the inside, at least 10 firefighters were injured when there was an explosion near the stairwell they were in. It took more than 150 firefighters over a week to put out the fire on the ship, an effort that cost the city millions of dollars.
In January, the judge denied motions from all four defendants for a summary judgment. They argued the cause of the ship fire was undetermined. In denying that motion, the judge ruled that there was sufficient evidence the fire started in a car that was improperly screed and loaded on the ship.
The firefighters have dropped their claims for economic damages. The remaining defendants will go to trial April 4 of this year.