NEWARK, N.J. (Video above from News 12 New Jersey LLC via CNN) —

Two firefighters were killed and five others injured battling a blaze that began deep inside a docked cargo ship carrying more than a thousand vehicles, officials said Thursday.

Responding firefighters found five to seven vehicles already on fire when they reached the 10th floor of the cargo ship at Port Newark around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night. The blaze quickly extended to the 11th and 12th floors, and as firefighters were pushed back by the intense heat, two of them were lost, Newark Fire Chief Rufus Jackson said at a news conference at the port, where the fire was still burning early Thursday,

Firefighters weren't initially able to find their colleagues. Outside rescue companies from around the state were called in. Augusto "Augie" Acabou, 45, and Wayne "Bear" Brooks Jr., 49, were found and removed from the structure but unfortunately they lost their lives, Jackson said.

In the video player above: City lost "two of our best ... two of our bravest," mayor says of firefighters who died.

Three Newark firefighters and two Elizabeth firefighters were treated for injuries including smoke inhalation. All were expected to recover, but their names and details on their conditions were not disclosed.

Marine traffic trackers show the Italian-flagged Grande Costa d'Avorio, which was built in 2011, arrived from the Port of Baltimore several days earlier. Grimaldi Deep Sea said the fire broke out on the ship's 10th deck as its 28 crew members and local stevedores were completing the loading of more than 1,200 new and used cars, vans and trucks bound for West Africa.

The company's statement said the crew immediately activated on-board fire suppression procedures and the local firefighting service was alerted, triggering a prompt response that was crucial to containing and controlling the blaze. It also said that no electric cars nor hazardous cargo is on board, no fuel spills have been detected, and the stability of the ship was not been compromised.

The Grimaldi Group statement said the cause of the fire isn't known, but it will investigate in cooperation with authorities.

Video below: See drone and thermal images of the blaze aboard the ship captured by the Elizabeth Police Department in New Jersey

"Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of two Newark firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty," Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called it "tragic for all firefighters who know what it means to go in a burning structure in a danger that you are going to have to experience when you do so."

Shipboard firefighting is a unique skill and Newark firefighters don't commonly face this kind of fire, Jackson said. He said they trained on ships before, but it was a vessel that had compartments and living quarters, not a ship like this.

"Although this is a difficult fire, a different type of fire, they're still willing to put themselves on the line for others," the chief said. "This is a unique service that we're in. We love what we do. We love each other and we protect each other. It's unfortunate when we have loss. This is a tragedy. This is something that I as a chief never want to face, but we have to be there, we have to be strong for the family at this point."

The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that it will investigate the ship fire, but the Coast Guard is taking the lead, said Jennifer Gabris, an NTSB spokeswoman. The NTSB has authority to investigate maritime accidents.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — We've all heard of snakes on a plane. Well, some Florida firefighters in Fort Myers found a snake in a truck.

On Thursday morning, the Fort Myers Fire Department said in a Facebook post that firefighters were returning to the fire station when a motorist flagged them down.

When they stopped, the motorist said they found a snake inside their truck's engine compartment.

The fire department said firefighters removed the python safely and notified Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

According to CNN, officials believe it's likely an escaped pet, so they are trying to locate its owner.

ROANOKE, Va. (Video above: WDBJ via CNN) —

Firefighters who put out the blaze at a home in Virginia recently got to reunite with a four-legged family member they were able to save from the fire.

Dana Glenn and Marty Dickens told WDBJ that the firefighters are heroes for saving their dog Gracie, who means so much to them.

"She's been a part of our lives for over five years. She's helped me get over the death of just about all my family," Glenn said.

When Dickens and an electrician first noticed smoke coming from upstairs on May 30, everyone was able to run outside except for Gracie, even after the couple tried repeatedly to save her.

As Roanoke fire crews arrived, the word got out to search and save Gracie.

Lt. Chris White was the one who located Gracie and handed the 90-lb dog to another firefighter.

Crews treated Gracie and transported her in an ambulance to a vet to save her life.

Now that Gracie is on the mend, her family took her to meet her rescuers.

Watch the video above to see their reunion.

"It means a lot for us to, you know, just do our jobs and have them come back and show their appreciation," White said.

Glenn and Dickens also made a $1,000 donation to the Roanoke Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in honor of the firefighters.

STREATOR, Ill. — A Golden Retriever is back home safe after getting trapped in a sinkhole.

The dog named Macy was discovered after another dog led its owner to the hole at a park in Illinois.

"This dog had fell into a five-foot hole, who has been missing for about 24 hours, from what I understand.” said Fred McClellan, Chief of the Streator Fire Department.

Firefighters were called in.

They tried getting Macy out with a ladder, but the older dog could not climb it.

That’s when the fire chief went into the hole himself and wrapped webbing around Macy so the rescue team could pull her out.

The team had to maneuver around, due to the unsteady ground.

"If you can see me falling. It was because the ground started to break on my one foot underneath, so I stepped across the hole to grab and then it collapsed again,” said McClellan.

Once Macy was free, she was a bit shaken.

But she is in much better spirits after reuniting with her owner.

BALTIMORE —

Monday's fatal fire in southwest Baltimore shocked the city fire department and fire departments across the country as an investigation gets underway.

This investigation is personal for the federal, state and Baltimore City agents investigating the origin and cause of Monday's fire at a vacant rowhouse.

"It is a tragic loss for all of us because we are family and we lost a lot of family yesterday," Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci said. "There's a lot of damage to the structure. We may not be able to determine a cause."

City fire officials said the fire started around 6 a.m. and the building partially collapsed, trapping four firefighters inside. Three fire service members died, and a fourth remains hospitalized at Shock Trauma.

"We are all heartbroken," Geraci said.

Investigators went door to door in the neighborhood, searching for surveillance video that may help them figure out who entered and left the building. A specialized crew from Montgomery County shored up the structure so investigators could safely dig through the rubble.

"We know there is no power to the building. We know there is no electric in the building. So, those types of sources have been ruled out," Geraci said.

Investigators are also looking into a 2015 fire at the same location that left three firefighters injured. Investigators are looking for comparisons.

Sister station WBAL looked into who owns the vacant home and learned the property owners now live in Pennsylvania.

One of their relatives, Jeffery Shore, said: "It's sad three people lost their life because the city didn't do their job keeping squatters away. My relatives shouldn't have left the property abandoned."

"There must be a plan in place moving forward to prevent this from happening again," Geraci said.

City hall officials said the building will be torn down after the property is released from the investigation.

Baltimore City Fire Department spokeswoman Blair Adams said there is no policy in place regarding entering a known abandoned building to fight a fire, but she said there is always room for improvement.

Injured firefighter's condition improves

Fire officials updated the condition of the fourth Baltimore firefighter injured in Monday's fire and collapse at a vacant row home.

EMT/Firefighter John McMaster has been upgraded to fair condition and he is conscious and alert at Shock Trauma, Baltimore Fire Chief Niles Ford said.

Ford visited McMaster Tuesday.

"He was able to speak and we were able to talk to him. We prayed with him and we're very optimistic about his condition and him getting out of the hospital soon," Ford said.

A city mourns: Remembering Baltimore's bravest

Lt. Paul Butrim had been with the Baltimore Fire Department for more than 16 years. He started in 2005 as a firefighter and paramedic apprentice.

Firefighter/Paramedic Kenny Lacayo had been with the Baltimore Fire Department for seven years. He also worked with the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad in Montgomery County, where he was named paramedic of the year in 2016.

Lacayo's father was overcome with grief while speaking about his son.

"I would like my son to be remembered as a son of a proud father, loving and caring, loved his community and the reason I say that is because he liked to help people," his father said.

Wheaton's Fire Chief Mark Dempsey also said Lacayo was a rising star in the Baltimore City Fire Department.

"He came to the rescue squad shortly after graduation and he flourished there. He became a firefighter became a paramedic was awarded paramedic of the year," Dempsey said.

Firefighter/Paramedic Kelsey Sadler had been with the Baltimore Fire Department for 15 years. She was in the same recruit class as a firefighter and paramedic trainee who died in a training accident in 2007. The recruits in that class were given the opportunity to leave; Sadler decided to continue on with her career.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ordered flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff to honor Butrim, Sadler and Lacayo.

Watch the video above for the full story.

CINCINNATI — A school in Hyde Park was evacuated Thursday morning after a gas main had been struck, causing gas to leak, according to officials.

The Cincinnati Fire Department said the Springer School was evacuated after a truck backed into and struck a nearby gas main around 8 a.m. Thursday. Once the truck hit the main, firefighters evacuated the students and staff of the school, as well as people in a nearby apartment complex.

Firefighters were able to shut the gas line off, and officials called Duke Energy (Gas) to the scene to test the air quality to make sure it was safe.

Officials said the people who were evacuated would be able to return to the school or their homes before noon.

NEWPORT, Ky. — Newport Firefighters Local 45 went above and beyond the call of duty to make a few special squad runs on Christmas Eve – delivering gifts to a few families in need this holiday season.

For many, 2020 is a year they’d probably like to forget, but this holiday season, six Newport families got an opportunity they’ll probably remember for many Christmases to come.

Santa traded in his sleigh for fire engine 901.

“I know what it’s like to grow up like these kids,” said Newport firefighter Audrey Owczarzak. “This is my personal thing that I love to do for Newport firefighters.”

In past years, Santa delivered toys to the houses of each boy and girl, but because of COVID-19, most of the gifts had to be left outside.

“To see us pull up and give them something that makes them happy,” said the jolly old elf himself. “It melts your heart.”

With the help of Joseph Subaru of Florence and The Christ Hospital, Newport Firefighters helped six families including 28 children have gifts, food and other items this holiday season – along with a welcome surprise.

“My oldest son said, ‘I see Santa,’” Newport resident Tiffany Burton said.

Her five kids will get a few gifts, thanks to the support of the community.

“In prior years we've always been able to do it,” Burton said. “This year we just weren't able to. If it weren't for the fire department, my kids wouldn't have anything."

Without the firefighters and their Christmas Eve "Beyond the Call" event.

"It means a lot to me,” Burton said. “My kids have been through trauma in the last year. We became homeless. My mom took us in."

A short stop from the firefighters brings an opportunity for these families to celebrate and share a little bit of love in a tough time.

"It feels like I'm a kid all over again,” Burton said. “Just waiting for them to open it up and see what they have. Not caring about the mess afterward. Just wanting to see their face, and their expression. The magic once again."

SEATTLE, Wash. — Working in emergency services means putting yourself in dangerous situations.

Often, it is life or death, like when a devastating mudslide hit a community north of Seattle in 2014.

“I was deployed to the Oso mudslide about seven years ago and it was a mudslide that killed 40 people,” said Lt. Michael Dulas, with the Seattle Fire Department.

“My role was to help search the mudslide for people. So, we were literally digging, looking for people,” he said.

The weeks-long search effort left an impression on Dulas and hundreds of other first responders.

“We were up there for four 24 hour shifts in a row,” said Steve Yeutter, who works with Dulas at the fire department.

“The most normal part of that day was petting the search dogs at the end of the day,” said Dulas.

The Oso slide and its aftermath inspired Dulas to make a small but significant change within Seattle Fire. The department got dogs.

“Zoe’s a 2-year-old Bernedoodle, so half Bernese mountain dog and half poodle,” said Dulas.

Zoe is Mike’s dog and one of three therapy dogs who have joined the fire department as part of a pilot program. The other two, Hera and Bob, are also owned by Seattle firefighters.

“She’s just being a dog, bringing a smile to people’s faces, being goofy, doing dog things. And dogs are proven to lower your heart rate, lower your blood pressure,” said Dulas

Agencies across the U.S. are looking for a solution to the mental health crisis. Police and firefighters are now more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. About 30% of emergency responders will develop behavioral health conditions like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“For a number of years, those issues were really under-recognized, and it was just assumed, 'Oh, they’re tough. They see it every day,'” said Chip Schreiber, a clinical psychologist at UCLA who specializes in creating programs to reduce PTSD in first responders.

“Suicide and serious depression are the final common pathway of stress and symptoms that potentiate and then lead to greater conflict in the environment and ability to function in your family,” said Schreiber.

“In ’95, Seattle lost four firefighters in the Mary Pang warehouse fire. One of them was my very best friend. Randy Terlicker was his name,” said Yeutter. “Had a hard time for about 24 hours just even functioning.”

Yeutter has spent three decades with Seattle Fire.

Today, one of his jobs is working as a peer support coordinator, helping firefighters deal with a wide variety of scenarios.

“Possibly line of duty deaths, injuries to firefighters. Some of the other things that might trigger a response might be multi-casualty incidents, or possibly suicides or difficult runs with children,” said Yeutter.

Yeutter and Dulas both say they've had experiences where they wished there was more offered by the department.

“I lost a little brother who was in the Army to suicide. I’ve watched my older brother as a firefighter struggle with PTSD and that’s a lot of my motivation is just I want to take a different path and I want to be well,” said Dulas.

Both say there are more resources available to firefighters today.

“When you feel those reactions when you sick, when you feel stressed, when you can’t sleep for a couple weeks, get out there and ask for help,” said Yeutter.

“I want to see everyone retire healthy, happy, with their families intact and just go have a great life after,” said Dulas.

Firefighter Richard Jett happened to be working at a different fire station and ended up meeting two girls on a welfare check at a storage unit.Jett, a man of faith, knew God was trying to tell him something.At the time in October 2017, the girls were just 2 years and 4 days old.He ended up adopting them, joining his family of two other adopted children.His colleagues recently honored him in a surprise ceremony and given a surf trip by a charity in the area, S.W.E.L. (Surf Waves Enjoy Life), that takes veterans and first responders surfing.For more information on S.W.E.L, click here.