
SAN DIEGO – San Diego Fire Department and Federal Fire responded to a fire onboard the USS Bonhomme Richard on July 12, 2020.
18 Sailors are currently being treated for smoke inhalation and non-life-threatening injuries at this time, a military official from Naval Base San Diego stated.
The fire started at approximately 9 a.m. pacific time on the USS Bonhomme Richard, said Krishna Jackson, Naval Base San Diego’s public affairs officer.
Jackson also said that no additional injuries or deaths have been reported at this time. She also stated that about 200 sailors and officers were aboard Sunday morning at the time of the fire.
The USS Bonhomme Richard is a Wasp class landing helicopter dock (LHD), and is an 840-foot amphibious vessel and carries helicopters, boats and amphibious vehicles for maritime warfare. Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) are often transported onboard along with Harrier IIs or F-35B Lighting II strike-aircraft.
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Explosion with at least one injury at the USS Bonhomme Richard. #shipfire pic.twitter.com/HooWIRcjU4
— SDFD (@SDFD) July 12, 2020
Several sailors are being treated for a variety of injuries. #shipfire pic.twitter.com/dNUzBEJbBZ
— SDFD (@SDFD) July 12, 2020
The fire was called away at approx. 8:30 AM, July 12. Approx. 160 Sailors were aboard at the time. @LHD6BHR is going through a maintenance availability and has a crew size of approx. 1000. 18 Sailors have been transferred to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
— Naval Surface Forces (@SurfaceWarriors) July 12, 2020