Explosion threat eases at burning US Navy warship

A fire raging aboard a docked U.S. warship moved away from fuel tanks, easing the threat of an explosion or a million-gallon oil spill in the San Diego harbor, but it was too early to say whether the vessel can be saved, a top Navy official said.

Days of battling flames deep within the USS Bonhomme Richard were bearing fruit and the blaze could be declared out sometime Wednesday, said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander of the strike group that includes the Bonhomme Richard as its flagship.

But he cautioned Tuesday that there was still “a major fire inside” being fought by hundreds of sailors who were focusing on two isolated spots near the ship’s bow and stern.

Fuel was stored below the waterline and the risk of it spilling or exploding was now “very low,” Sobeck said, although the U.S. Coast Guard was standing by in order to boom off any spill.

Navy officials were able to inspect four main engineering rooms and found no major damage, and the external structure of the ship appears to be safe, Sobeck said, but it was still unclear whether the 840-foot (255-meter) amphibious assault ship can be repaired.

It could cost the military an estimated $4 billion to replace the ship, which is akin to a mini-aircraft carrier.