U. S. News
21 injured in fire aboard ship at Naval Base San Diego
SAN DIEGO — Twenty-one people suffered minor injuries in an explosion and fire Sunday on board a ship at Naval Base San Diego, military officials said.
The blaze was reported shortly before 9 a.m. on USS Bonhomme Richard, said Mike Raney, a spokesman for Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Seventeen sailors and four civilians were hospitalized with “non-life threatening injuries,” Raney said in a brief statement. He didn’t provide additional details.
Previously, officials said at least one person was treated for smoke inhalation.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. It wasn’t immediately known where on the 840-foot (255-meter) amphibious assault vessel the blast and the fire occurred.
The flames sent up a huge plume of dark smoke visible around San Diego.
San Diego is the Bonhomme Richard’s home port, and the ship was undergoing routine maintenance at the time of the fire.
About 160 sailors and officers were on board, Raney said — far fewer than the thousand typically on the ship when it’s on active duty.
All crew members were accounted for, said Admiral Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations.
“We are grateful for the quick and immediate response of local, base, and shipboard firefighters aboard USS Bonhomme Richard,” Gilday said in a statement.
The 23-year-old ship has the capacity to deploy and land helicopters, smaller boats and amphibious vehicles. Because of its age, a fire could be particularly destructive, especially if it reached the engine room and other tight spaces with machinery, said Lawrence B. Brennan, a professor of admiralty and international maritime law at Fordham University in New York.
“The heat of a fire of this nature can warp the steel, and that can be a major problem for any ship,” said Brennan. “On an older ship, it’s even more of a problem.”
Two other docked ships, USS Fitzgerald and USS Russell, were moved to berths away from the fire, officials said.
-
Local News2 weeks ago
The Jewish community in the area responds to a potential Iranian invasion on Israel
-
Local News2 weeks ago
Transit will be redesigned and expanded by UTA by the potential 2034 Olympics
-
Local News2 weeks ago
Gorilla in Hogle Zoo expecting a new little bundle of joy
-
Local News2 weeks ago
After 119 years, a Salt Lake company is moving to Murray, and the structure will be demolished
-
Local News1 week ago
Significant weather changes will bring Utah rain, snow, and cooler temperatures
-
Local News5 days ago
A large number of people start running in the Salt Lake City Marathon
-
Local News1 week ago
As we come to the end of another fantastic snowy year in Utah, here is the most recent flood forecast for the spring melt
-
Local News6 days ago
Using a deck of cards, a Utah man hopes to overcome his fear of flying
Leave a Reply