(KMJ) – Firefighters on land, in the air and on the water continue to battle a blaze on a Navy ship that injured at least 21 people in San Diego.
The fire began Sunday morning in a vehicle storage area aboard the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, according to Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck. 17 sailors and four others, including firefighters, were treated at hospitals for smoke inhalation or other minor injuries. The Navy confirms there was no ordnance on board, and while the ship holds a million gallons of fuel, it is “well below” any heat source.
About 160 sailors and officers were on board when an explosion and flames sent up a huge plume of dark smoke from the 840-foot amphibious assault vessel, which has been docked at Naval Base San Diego and was undergoing routine maintenance. That’s far fewer than the thousand typically on the ship when it’s on active duty.
