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Old 07-13-2020, 06:40 AM
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Post 21 people injured in 3-alarm fire on board USS Bonhomme Richard

21 people injured in 3-alarm fire on board USS Bonhomme Richard
By: Daniel Uria & Darryl Coote - UPI News - 07-13-20
Re: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020...4581228/?ur3=1

Photo link: https://cdnph.upi.com/svc/sv/upi/794...me-Richard.jpg
Federal and Navy firefighting crews battle a fire that erupted Sunday morning on the USS Bonhomme Richard. Photo by Lt. John J. Mike/U.S. Navy/UPI

July 12 (UPI) -- At least 21 people including more than a dozen sailors were injured after a three-alarm fire broke out with an explosion on the USS Bonhomme Richard, the Navy said on Sunday.

The fire was reported at 8:30 a.m. as the ship was docked at Naval Base San Diego for repairs with 17 of the 160 sailors on board as well as four civilians sustaining non-life-threatening injuries, Naval Surface Forces reported on Twitter, adding all had been transferred to local hospitals for treatment.

Rear Adm. Philip E. Sobeck told reporters during a press conference Sunday evening that all hospitalized sailors were in stable condition, most of whom were suffering from either heat exhaustion or smoke inhalation.

Firefighters and sailors from all over San Diego were fighting the fire, he said, adding a 1,800-foot perimeter has been established around the vessel and nearby buildings while the U.S. Coast Guard is enforcing a 1-nautical-mile perimeter around the ship, which has a crew size of approximately 1,000.

"Just know that sailors across this waterfront are doing a magnificent job," Sobeck said. "They are fighting their ship and they're saving their ship."

Sobeck explained the fire is believed to have started in the lower cargo hold and the reported explosion was the result of "over-pressurization" caused by the fire heating up the enclosed compartment but it is unknown what caused the Class-A fire, which is fueled by paper, wood and other common items.

All personnel has been evacuated from the vessel and there were no ordinances on board when the fire ignited, he said, adding the 1 million gallons of fuel on board was "well bellow" any heat source.

Asked if the ship will ever sail again, Sobeck said "absolutely."

"She was already in the shipyard being worked on so, again, she was in a stage of repair anyway so we're just going to get right back at it once we get this thing contained and put out," he said.

The San Diego Fire Department earlier wrote on Twitter that it was combatting the blaze alongside Federal Fire and that multiple sailors were being treated for "a variety of injuries."

USS Bonhomme Richard is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship that was commissioned in 1998. The name is derived from the pen name of Benjamin Franklin.

The ship appeared in two films, Battleship and Act of Valor.

All ships in port were directed to provide fire parties to possibly assist with the effort to combat the blaze and the USS Fitzgerald and USS Russell were shifted further away from the fire.

Video link: https://twitter.com/i/status/1282414804594917377
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O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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Old 07-13-2020, 06:50 AM
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Arrow 2nd - Fire Fight Intensifies on USS Bonhomme Richard, 5 Sailors Still Hospitalized

Fire Fight Intensifies on USS Bonhomme Richard, 5 Sailors Still Hospitalized
By: Sam LaGrone - USNI News - 07-13-20
Re: https://news.usni.org/2020/07/13/fir...l-hospitalized

Photo link: https://news.usni.org/wp-content/upl...07/6272483.jpg
200712-N-BL599-1081 SAN DIEGO (July 12,2020) – Sailors and Federal Firefighters combat a fire onboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) at Naval Base San Diego, July 12. On the morning of July 12, a fire was called away aboard the ship while it was moored pierside at Naval Base San Diego. Local, base and shipboard firefighters responded to the fire. USS Bonhomme Richard is going through a maintenance availability, which began in 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christina Ross)

The fight against the fire burning on amphibious warship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) escalated overnight, with federal and Navy firefighters joined by two helicopters dropping water on the fire from the air.

Video link: blob:https://www.facebook.com/7fc89175-57...f-ec5ff94ff15b

As of 3:30 a.m. local time, “the firefighting teams continue operations continue on board USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) in addition to aerial firefighting operations that commenced via helicopter water bucket at 10:30 p.m.,” reads an early Monday statement from Naval Surface Force Pacific.
“There are five sailors admitted to local hospitals for observation. All are in stable condition.”

The Navy and local and federal firefighters have since Sunday morning battled the fire on the amphibious warship that was undergoing maintenance on Pier 2 at Naval Base San Diego. Only about 160 sailors of the ship’s 1,000 crew were aboard Bonhomme Richard when the fire broke out.

Another photo link: https://news.usni.org/wp-content/upl...07/6272555.jpg
A MH-60S Knight Hawk Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3 combats a fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) on July 12, 2020. US Navy Photo

“Local fire crews with the San Diego Fire Department responded to the scene at 8:50 a.m., some 20 minutes after the fire was reported to the Navy. Dozens of fire vehicles, ladder trucks and ambulances from San Diego and local departments, as well as the federal fire service, descended onto the base and Pier 2,” USNI News reported on Sunday.

Navy officials said the fire started in the lower parts of the ship where embarked Marines keep vehicles and equipment.

“There was a report of an internal explosion” in a lower stowage area, Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, told reporters during a Sunday evening press conference just outside the base. “We don’t quite understand yet the source of … the seed of the fire,” he added.

In addition to efforts on the pier and support from firefighting boats, two MH-60S helicopters from “The Merlins” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HCS) 3 began aerial firefighting late on Sunday.

Two other ships on Pier 2, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Russell (DDG-59) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), were moved to different berthing on Sunday afternoon as the fire grew on the ship.

Local officials told CNN the fire could burn for several days.

“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,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said in a statement on Sunday.
“We are grateful for the quick and immediate response of local, base, and shipboard firefighters aboard USS Bonhomme Richard. Our thoughts and prayers are with our BHR Sailors, their families, and our emergency responders who continue to fight the fire. Godspeed.”

The big-deck amphib, commissioned in 1998, returned from being forward deployed to Japan in 2018. Bonhomme Richard had just completed a $249 million repair period at the nearby General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard before transferring to the naval base.

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Personal note: It's rare to have ship fires such as this. But when one does break out all their training kicks in and sister ships will also assist when needed. These ships of war carry explosive elements and weapons so when a fire breaks out - Its All Hands on Deck!
They are trained from Boot Camp thru their service careers on how to fight fires both at port and at sea.

Boats
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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