Federal and Navy firefighters are continuing to battle a ferocious blaze aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard on Monday morning – with the inferno likely to rage for several more days, officials have warned.
More than 160 people had been aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard docked at the San Diego Naval Base in California when a fire started in the lower cargo hold of the ship and triggered an internal explosion at 8:30am Sunday.
Officials say at least 57 people – including 34 sailors and 23 civilians – were injured in the blaze that sent billowing plumes of smoke and ash into the sky.
The injuries were not life-threatening, and included heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation, according to officials.
All crew members have since been evacuated and accounted for, the Navy said, and five sailors remain in hospital in a stable condition.
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Efforts to extinguish the fire on the amphibious assault ship continued Monday morning, with nearly 24 hours having passed since the blaze first erupted
Two helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3 started helicopter water bucket aerial firefighting operations at 4:30am local time Monday
An aerial shot of the battleship on Sunday morning shows a thick plume of smoke bellowing from the center of the ship
Officials have warned that the fire may burn for several more days yet ‘right down to the waterline’ as the vessel’s fate remains uncertain
Smoke continued to billow into the air across Monday morning. It’s unclear how long it will take responders to get control of the blaze
A Navy helicopter is seen flying over the ship in a water dump as one fire fighter suspended in the air on a ladder fires a stream of water towards the deck
According to the National Weather Service, the smoke carried through the county on Sunday and will continue to do so Monday
U.S. Navy Sailors carry barrels of aqueous film forming foam in support of the firefighting efforts in an image shared by the Navy Monday
Firefighting efforts have involved personnel from Naval Base San Diego (right) and the City of San Diego Fire Department (left), along with Harbor Police fire boats and fire teams from other ships, according to the Navy
Efforts to extinguish the fire on the amphibious assault ship continued Monday morning, with nearly 24 hours having passed since the blaze first erupted
It’s not immediately clear what caused the three-alarm blaze or the explosion.
Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck the Navy’s commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, said during a press conference that the fire was not a fueled by fuel oil, hazardous materials or electrical causes.
Sobek said it was fueled by paper, cloth, rags or other materials in a standard fire. He said he is not concerned about the air quality or toxicity around the blaze.
Sobeck said there was no ordnance on board at the time. There are a million gallons of fuel on board but it’s ‘well below’ any heat sources and is therefore not at risk at this time, he added.
Sources told The Drive that loud explosions were heard coming from the ship, and that the source of the fire may be from below the waterline, though this information has yet to be confirmed.
During his press conference, Sobek added that military and civilian firefighters were ‘doing everything they can’ to save the ship and optimistically vowed that it will return to service.
‘We’re absolutely going to make sure it sails again,’ he said. ‘Right now we’re going to fight the fire and then we’ll work on understanding what exactly happened to make sure she sails as best as possible in a very near time.’
However, the fate of the vessel, which is in the middle of its service life, remains uncertain with Fire Chief Colin Stowell of San Diego telling CNN that he expects the fire to burn for several days – ‘right down to the waterline’.
Sobek, however, doubled down on his optimism during a Monday conference, saying that he’s ‘absolutely hopeful’ of the ship returning to duty because of the ‘magnificent’ job sailors and other responders are doing to combat the flames.
USS Bonhomme Richard is seen ablaze on Sunday evening with a thick plume of smoke billowing into the sky
A helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron drops a bucket of water above the ship early Monday morning
Sobeck said there was no ordnance on board at the time. There are a million gallons of fuel on board but it’s ‘well below’ any heat sources and is therefore not at risk at this time, he added
Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck said that all of the injured are listed in stable condition
At least 21 people including 17 sailors and four civilians were hospitalized with minor injuries on Sunday following a massive fire and explosion on board the Navy ship
Firefighting boats spray water onto the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard
In a photo provided by the U.S. Navy, sailors and Federal Fire San Diego firefighters work to extinguish a fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard
The US Navy said that 17 sailors and four civilians were injured by an explosion aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego on Sunday
The sailors on the USS Bonhomme Richard had ‘minor injuries’ from the fire and were taken to a hospital, according to a Navy spokesperson
Efforts to extinguish the fire on the amphibious assault ship continued Monday morning, with nearly 24 hours having passed since the blaze first erupted. Local news footage showed a thick plume of black smoke rising from the ship.
Two helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3 started water bucket aerial firefighting operations at 4:30am local time Monday.
In addition, fireboats have been pouring water on the ship’s hull in order to keep it cool in an attempt to maintain its integrity as the fire continues to rage.
Firefighting efforts have involved personnel from Naval Base San Diego and the City of San Diego Fire Department, along with Harbor Police fire boats and fire teams from other ships, according to the Navy.
A shelter in place was ordered Sunday evening for all non-responding personnel at the base to maintain a 1,800-yard safety perimeter as the firefight continues.
The city of National City issued an advisory around 2:30 p.m. urging residents to stay indoors due to potential health effects of the smoke plume. Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis said the city will reevaluate its suggestion later Monday, depending on how the firefight progresses.
Local residents have reported smelling the smoke as far away as Vista, more than 40 miles from where the ship is docked.
According to the National Weather Service, the smoke carried through the county on Sunday and will continue to do so Monday. It said the highest concentration of smoke will eventually shift with an incoming onshore breeze. NWS also said that as temperatures rise, the smoke should lift.
Firefighters were battling a three-alarm blaze aboard the ship after the explosion took place during routine maintenance
The above image shows an aerial view of the US Navy ship USS Bonhomme Richard after the explosion
People pose for a picture in front of the San Diego skyline as smoke rises from a fire on board the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego
A golfer plays on as a fire burns on the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego
Golfers play on as a fire burns on the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego on Sunday
The image above provides another angle of the massive fire aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego on Sunday
San Diego’s top firefighter said the blaze on board the ship could burn for days ‘down to the waterline’
A massive fire and explosion on board a Navy ship at Naval Base San Diego has injured several sailors and sent billowing plumes of smoke and ash into the sky
The vessel was undergoing routine maintenance at the time of the fire. Naval Base San Diego is the ship’s home port. It’s still not clear what sparked the blaze
By 12.30pm PST the entire crew was cleared off the ship and accounted for and 18 people were sent to the hospital with minor injuries
The Bonhomme Richard is capable of carrying more than 1,000 sailors, in addition to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The cost of the ship has been estimated $761 million, according to the Federation of American Scientists.
The ship had been docked in the San Diego base to undergo routine maintenance between deployments when the fire broke out, Navy spokeswoman Krishna Jackson said.
Jackson told the New York Times that the sailors assigned to the ship at the time were staying in Navy or private housing on shore and were not on board when the fire started. A ‘duty section’ of sailors trained to fight fires were, however, of whom were first to respond.
Admiral Sobeck said that there was no ordnance on the ship at the time of the fire. The ship has light arms but would not normally have large explosive munitions, such as airdropped bombs, on board while docked, according to the Navy.
Two other warships, the USS Fitzgerald and the USS Russell, that were docked nearby have since been moved to other piers as a precaution, the Navy said.
The USS Bonhomme Richard, an assault-style ship, was last deployed in 2018.
The fire broke out around 8.51am on Sunday and San Diego Fire Rescue rushed to the scene
Firefighter pictured erecting a crane to battle the blaze Sunday morning
All SDFD personnel has been accounted for as of 11.19am, according to San Diego Fire authorities. No firefighters have been injured so far
A view of the smoking naval ship above. It’s unclear what sparked the fire and explosion
San Diego Fire-Rescue said 150 firefighters were sent out to quell the inferno on Sunday. No firefighters have been injured so far.
Shocking video has emerged showing the moment an explosion went off on the Naval ship.
The keel for the Bonhomme Richard was laid down in 1995 and she was delivered to the Navy in 1998. The 23-year-old ship has the capacity to deploy and land helicopters, smaller boats and amphibious vehicles.
Because of its age, a fire could be particularly destructive, especially if it reached the engine room and other tight spaces with machinery, said Lawrence B. Brennan, a professor of admiralty and international maritime law at Fordham University in New York.
‘The heat of a fire of this nature can warp the steel, and that can be a major problem for any ship,’ said Brennan.
‘On an older ship, it’s even more of a problem.’
Massive clouds of smoke enveloped the base in Sunday morning’s fire
The USS Bonhomme Richard is an assault-style ship that’s outfitted to carry landing craft and transfer equipment, troops and landing boats. The ship’s last deployment was in 2018
Two other docked ships, USS Fitzgerald and USS Russell, were moved to berths away from the fire, officials said.
The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael M. Gilday, called the fire a ‘terrible tragedy’ in a post on Twitter Sunday.
‘Today, we suffered a terrible tragedy aboard USS Bonhomme Richard when a fire broke out aboard the ship while in port San Diego,’ Gilday said.
‘The remainder of the crew is accounted for,’ the admiral continued. ‘We are grateful for the quick and immediate response of local, base, and shipboard firefighters aboard BHR. Our thoughts and prayers are with our BHR sailors, their families, and our emergency responders who continue to fight the fire.’
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer tweeted: ‘We are here for the sailors and civilians affected by the ship fire at Naval Base San Diego. SDFD and other first responders continue to lend support. All of the crew is off the USS Bonhomme Richard and accounted for. Thank you to our brave sailors and rescue crews.’
A Family Care Line has been set up for families looking for information regarding their sailor. The number is 844-523-2025.
Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) don fire fighting equipment to combat a fire aboard the ship
Several of the sailors on board the ship prepare to fight the fire on Sunday evening
Local, base and shipboard firefighters responded to the fire. USS Bonhomme Richard is going through a maintenance availability, which began in 2018