With smoke billowing in the San Diego harbor and temperatures in the belly of the USS Bonhomme Richard reaching 1,000 degrees, the Navy is still hopeful the 800-foot amphibious assault ship can be saved.
“I feel absolutely hopeful,” said Rear Adm. Philip E. Sobeck at a livestreamed press briefing from San Diego Monday afternoon.
The commander of Expeditionary Strike Group THREE described a below-deck fire of unknown origin that quickly overwhelmed sailors Sunday.
“During the initial stages, it expanded beyond their capability,” he said of the decision for sailors to evacuate the pier-side ship and call in San Diego firefighters and federal firefighters. “We had to reset for the safety of shipmates.”
Naval Surface Force Pacific told the Washington Examiner Monday morning that the fire was not yet contained.
“The fire is still going, so I wouldn’t classify it as contained,” Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman told the Washington Examiner by phone from San Diego.
The blaze in the docked amphibious assault ship began around 8:30 a.m. Pacific time Sunday. By night, helicopters could be seen dousing the flames from above as Navy tugs worked laterally to cool down the hull.
‘Good buffer’
Sobeck said an estimated 1 million gallons of fuel below the fire was “absolutely of concern.”
“There is a good buffer,” he said, estimating two decks separate the fuel from the fire. Heavy-duty cardboard, rags, and other supplies were part of the area raging.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but nearby ships have been relocated as a precaution, the Navy reported.
Schwegman said 57 sailors aboard the ship were admitted for injuries that included smoke inhalation. All but five have been released, she confirmed, with those remaining hospitalized in stable condition.
A combination of sailors and federal firefighters continue to fight the blaze.
“Every sailor is a firefighter, and that’s how we’re trained from boot camp,” said Schwegman.
Navy Secretary Kenneth Barthwaite has yet to make a public statement about the fire, the first tragedy on his watch.
The new secretary, who just passed 30 days in office, must overcome months of bad press following coronavirus outbreaks at sea and related personnel fallout before charting a path to get the Navy to a fleet of 355 ships.
Meanwhile, on Monday Navy leadership were evaluating the heat source and balance required to keep the Richard from capsizing.
“You’ve got a ship that is floating. You’ve got to weigh the balance of how much water is there,” Sobeck said. “Stability is a big issue. That’s been our constant role every single minute of the last 24 hours.”
