21 injured as massive blaze & EXPLOSION cripple US military ship in San Diego

USS Bonhomme Richard belongs to the Essex-class aircraft carriers and earned one battle star during the Second World War. According to Krishna Jackson of Naval Base San Diego, prior the incident, the USS Bonhomme Richard underwent a regular maintenance cycle.

Firefighters battled a blaze on board the USS Bonhomme Richard at a naval base in San Diego on Sunday, local media reported. The ship caught fire early on Sunday and an explosion occurred on board.

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At least 21 people, including four civilians, were injured amid the fire, the Naval Surface Forces of the US Pacific Fleet said.

At approximately 1:00 p.m., USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) shifted berths to a pier further away from the fire. USS Russell (DDG 59) moved approximately 30 minutes later.

— Naval Surface Forces (@SurfaceWarriors) July 12, 2020

According to images circulating online, several fireboats were deployed to extinguish the flames, which was concentrated in the centre portion of the vessel. An explosion was also heard on board the ship prior to the blaze, according to domestic media reports.

Explosion with at least one injury at the USS Bonhomme Richard. #shipfire pic.twitter.com/HooWIRcjU4

— SDFD (@SDFD) July 12, 2020

Federal Fire San Diego is the on-scene lead for firefighting efforts on @NavBaseSD combatting the fire on @LHD6BHR.
“Currently there are two firefighting teams fighting the fire aboard the ship,” said Federal Fire San Diego Division Chief Rob Bondurant.

— Naval Surface Forces (@SurfaceWarriors) July 12, 2020

The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear, while the San Diego Police Department has not responded for a comment.

3RD Alarm fire on USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) at Naval Base San Diego.

SDFD & Federal Fire have unified command for what sounds like a below deck fire, possibly in a hanger bay

Initial reports of an explosion & injuries.

As both a fireman & a sailor, thoughts with all aboard. pic.twitter.com/eDnLBYZ2SA

— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) July 12, 2020

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​The WFLA television station said earlier that several sailors were being treated for various injuries, besides the one who was wounded in the explosion.

San Diego Fire-Rescue (#SDFD) is assisting on A fire on board the #USS Bonhomme Richard.

Several sailors are being treated for a variety of injuries.
According to a witness, an explosion was heard coming from the ship shortly after the blaze started. pic.twitter.com/b5vYoTzIdK

— AMEEN 🇱🇧 🇺🇸 #جيشي_لبناني (@Ameen_media) July 12, 2020

All crew members have safely evacuated the vessel and all are accounted for, the naval fleet said in an earlier Tweet.

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The USS Bonhomme Richard was commissioned in 1998 and spent six years in Japan as part of the US Navy’s Forward Deployed Naval Force in the region.

(Source: sputniknews.com)

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