Massive Fire Erupts on US Navy Warship off Japan Coast, Lasts 12 Hours, Injures Two Sailors
The blaze lasted nearly 12 hours before being extinguished, leaving two sailors with minor injuries. The cause is under investigation, with parallels drawn to the 2020 USS Bonhomme Richard fire.
- World News
- 2 min read
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Okinawa: A massive fire broke out aboard the USS New Orleans, a US Navy San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, while it was anchored at the White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa. The blaze raged for nearly 12 hours before it was finally brought under control early Thursday, leaving two sailors with minor injuries.
According to the US Navy’s 7th Fleet, the fire on the 684-foot-long vessel was declared extinguished on Thursday morning. The cause of the incident is now under investigation.
Crew members of the USS New Orleans battled the flames throughout the night with support from the USS San Diego, another US Navy warship stationed nearby, along with Japanese Coast Guard and military personnel. Four Japanese vessels, including coast guard, naval, and contractor ships, also joined the firefighting efforts, spraying water onto the burning ship until the situation was stabilized.
Commissioned in 2007, the USS New Orleans can accommodate up to 800 personnel. Despite the blaze, the Navy confirmed that the crew would remain on board.
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The incident has drawn parallels to the catastrophic fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard in 2020, when a blaze in San Diego lasted more than four days and left the vessel unsalvageable. A later investigation blamed systemic lapses in training, maintenance, and oversight for the disaster.
The fire on the USS New Orleans comes at a time when the US maintains a significant military presence in Japan, with approximately 54,000 personnel stationed there, the majority in Okinawa.