Blaze rages on USS Bonhomme Richard more than 24 hours after the fire; nearly 60 injured

Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY
·3 min read

WASHINGTON – Firefighters, backed by helicopters, are still battling the blaze raging aboard the Navy's USS Bonhomme Richard on Monday, more than 24 hours after flames were first reported at its pier in San Diego.

Efforts to contain the fire have injured 57 firefighters, including 34 sailors. Most of the injuries have been minor, including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. Five personnel remain hospitalized in stable condition, said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, at a briefing for reporters Monday.

Damage has been extensive, including to the ship's upper decks and superstructure. The ship is listing, and sailors are working to keep it stable, Sobeck said.

The fire erupted well below the deck and generated extreme heat, reaching 1,000 degrees, Sobeck said. The top priority for firefighters is preventing heat and flames from reaching the ship's fuel tanks, which hold 1 million gallons of petroleum.

A general view of the USS Bonhomme Richard following an explosion and fire.
A general view of the USS Bonhomme Richard following an explosion and fire.

Plastic, rags, drywall and cardboard stored in a vast hold have fueled the flames.

Helicopters and tug boats are pouring water on the ship to cool it and extinguish the fire.

"We're still using helos to dump water," said Lt. Cdr. Nicole Schwegman, a Navy spokeswoman.

It's unclear how long it will take to control the fire.

The cause of the fire aboard Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault vessel, is unknown, Sobeck said. The ship was undergoing maintenance when the fire began. All crew members have been accounted for.

Sailors reported the fire at about 8:30 a.m. PDT Sunday. Firefighters from the Navy, federal and local departments have worked in shifts to deal with extreme heat.

The Navy sent two destroyers, the USS Fitzgerald and USS Russell, away from their berths to avoid damage.

The difficulty in extinguishing the fire at a U.S. naval base, where with firefighters, boats, and helicopters are at the ready, raises questions about the safety of other ships like the Bonhomme Richard, said a U.S. official familiar with the vessels but not authorized to speak publicly. A fire at sea, with fueled vehicles aboard, could be catastrophic, the official said.

The cost of replacing the Bonhomme Richard would be about $4 billion, said Todd Harrison, an expert on military budgets at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It would take several years to build.

"And it’s worth noting that despite the fact that the Navy calls it an amphibious assault ship, it’s really a small aircraft carrier," Harrison said.

The Bonhomme Richard was commissioned in 1998. Its full crew is about 1,000 sailors and can ferry an additional 2,000 Marines to battlefields. At 844 feet in length, the ship is second only to an aircraft carrier in size and accommodates helicopters and warplanes such as F-35 and large hovercraft to bring Marines ashore.

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This screen grab video image obtained July 12, 2020 courtesy of the San Diego Fire Department shows fire activity aboard the US Navy ship USS Bonhomme, in San Diego, Calif. An explosion on a United States amphibious assault ship moored at a naval base in California set off a major fire and injured 18 sailors on Sunday, officials and local media said. The USS Bonhomme Richard was in port in San Diego for maintenance when the explosion and fire broke out around 9:00 am, according to the Navy Times. Scenes broadcast by CNN showed thick smoke billowing from large sections of the ship, as fireboats used water cannon to try to control the blaze.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Navy's USS Bonhomme Richard blaze continues, 57 injured fighting fire