Fire Onboard US Navy Warship, 17 Sailors Hospitalized

Seventeen sailors injured in a major fire that broke out onboard U.S. Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) on Sunday, have now been hospitalized.

Sailors reported a fire aboard the warship while moored pier side at Naval Base San Diego July 12, at approximately 8:30 a.m. The origin of the fire is still unknown and is pending investigation, the Navy said in a statement.

“Today, we suffered a terrible tragedy aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) when a fire broke out aboard the ship while in port San Diego. At this point, 17 Sailors and four civilians are being treated for non-life threatening injuries at a local hospital. All crew members have been accounted for,” Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday tweeted.

"Currently there are two firefighting teams fighting the fire aboard the ship,” said Federal Fire San Diego Division Chief Rob Bondurant. “Federal Fire is rotating their crews aboard the ship with U.S. Navy firefighting crews from the waterfront to fight the fire in order to, find the seat of the fire and extinguish it.  Also, Navy Region Southwest tugs are also continuously combatting the fire from the bay.”