Ship's on fire, yo (USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego. Live video)

[clapclapclap 9000]

 

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/07/12/Several-soldiers-injured-in-three-alarm-fire-onboard-USS-Bonhomme-Richard/7941594581228/

July 12 (UPI) -- Several sailors were injured on Sunday after an explosion on a ship at a U.S. Naval Base in San Diego caused a three-alarm fire, the San Diego Fire Department said.

Multiple sailors were being treated for "a variety of injuries" after the fire onboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, SDFD wrote on Twitter.

SDFD said firefighters were requested by Federal Fire at about 9 a.m.

The cause of the blast and the location of the fire on the ship were not immediately clear. (snip)

Edited July 12, 2020 by clapclapclap

[Anastasis 23475]

lol @ the firefighting tugs putting up the good fight. 

[Upgrayedd 5814]

I’m driving around here looking for places to live.  The smoke plume was huge.  

[Guadaloopy 10973]

I’m about 10 miles away as the crow flies.   Very strong smell in the air.  Bad juju. 

[Coelenterate Fuccboi 13116]

2 minutes ago, Upgrayedd said:

I’m driving around here looking for places to live.  The smoke plume was huge.  

Dude, just put up a tent on the side of the road in an optional location. 

[RoundRobin 828]

[AUS-97HORN 11809]

yeah, the live view right now shows a shitload of smoke coming out of a lot of points, plus obvious former fire spots that arent currently active.

 

 

At this point the fire has been going for 2 hours, and its moved through lots of parts of the ship.

I would be very surprised  if the ship isnt a total write off taking more money to repair than to try to replace in the future.

 

I remember the USS Miami arson started by a contractor who didnt want to work anymore that day. It took more than a year for the Navy to finally scrap the Miami with repairs estimates climbing rapidly in just 1 year after the fire

Edited July 12, 2020 by AUS-97HORN

[Pato del Muerto 52524]

3 minutes ago, AUS-97HORN said:

yeah, the live view right now shows a shitload of smoke coming out of a lot of points, plus obvious former fire spots that arent currently active.

 

 

At this point the fire has been going for 2 hours, and its moved through lots of parts of the ship.

I would be very surprised  if the ship isnt a total write off taking more money to repair than to replace in the future.

How many times did we repair the Yorktown?

[DaysOff 7951]

.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

Getting a good view of the LCS moored next to it.

[AUS-97HORN 11809]

1 minute ago, Pato del Muerto said:

How many times did we repair the Yorktown?

officially we never completed repairs on the Yorktown.  We only spent 3 actual dry dock repair days on her before she took place in Midway.  we would have repaired her afterwards if she had been able to complete the towing to San Fran, but a Japanese sub found her the day after Midway and sunk her. 

[RDCanecutter 26452]

1 hour ago, Upgrayedd said:

I’m driving around here looking for places to live.  The smoke plume was huge.  

 

1 hour ago, Guadaloopy said:

I’m about 10 miles away as the crow flies.   Very strong smell in the air.  Bad juju. 

 

Our first two suspects.

[Guadaloopy 10973]

19 minutes ago, AUS-97HORN said:

At this point the fire has been going for 2 hours, and its moved through lots of parts of the ship.

It has been burning for over six hours.  That’s how long ago the call for SDFD support went out.  

[Guadaloopy 10973]

Talk about a hard luck ship... the ship that was directly across the pier from BONHOMME RICHARD for the first few hours of this was FITZGERALD.  

[atomheartbevo 89730]

If that's still live, holy shit, it's a lot worse and in a lot more areas.  Must have gotten into fuel or something.  At first I thought the tugs were acting odd because they were not hitting anything obvious, but apparently they actually were trying to cool down the hull.

[staboner 4984]

well done thread title, well done

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

It seems like they should be moving those other ships.  If I've learned anything from watching movies it's that if the fire reaches the magazine that whole place is going to explode

[Deej 76830]

Should never allow mix tapes on board. 

[texhorn 351]

11 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

It seems like they should be moving those other ships.  If I've learned anything from watching movies it's that if the fire reaches the magazine that whole place is going to explode

They moved the two other DDGs that were parked next to it earlier this afternoon (the Russell and Fitz)

She's also in maintenance availability so there's no ordinance on-board 

[aggie08 21505]

12 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

It seems like they should be moving those other ships.  If I've learned anything from watching movies it's that if the fire reaches the magazine that whole place is going to explode

Only small arms ammo are onboard at port. But apparently those have been exploding.

[Guadaloopy 10973]

10 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

It seems like they should be moving those other ships.  If I've learned anything from watching movies it's that if the fire reaches the magazine that whole place is going to explode

That ship is in a maintenance period. The only ordnance on board is small arms ammunition for force protection.  They have already moved two ships from that pier to berths on other piers.  

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

I guess they never make movies about ships in maintenance

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

17 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

It seems like they should be moving those other ships.  If I've learned anything from watching movies it's that if the fire reaches the magazine that whole place is going to explode

Or the Texas City chain explosion. Holy crap. Or the one in Halifax during WW 1

[InkaUtexas 25987]

 

[AUS-97HORN 11809]

2 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Or the Texas City chain explosion. Holy crap. Or the one in Halifax during WW 1

 both of those ships were carrying thousands of tons of actual explosives (or in the case of Texas City, the primary ingredient in all explosives),

thats clearly not the case here. 

[Coelenterate Fuccboi 13116]

2 minutes ago, AUS-97HORN said:

(or in the case of Texas City, the primary ingredient in all explosives),

“Just seal it up; it will run out of oxygen and go out on its own...”

[aggie08 21505]

From my "inside sources":

"Latest and greatest: There is no way to safely fight the fire. The fire is in the engine rooms and hitting the fuel tanks and there are multiple explosions. The decks are collapsing as well. Small arms ammo and SCBAs are exploding as well. Fire started off as a CHARLIE In the emergency generator which led to ALPHA/BRAVO. Boiler tanks were 75% full of DFM. Looks like they're just going to let it burn itself out and do exterior cooling."

[aggie08 21505]

2 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

 

 

Our first two suspects.

I was on a DDG a couple piers down for the past two weeks, and I was too drunk this weekend to be able to clearly recount all of my activities...

[texhorn 351]

 

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

Sad that it happened, but at least it happened in port.  Fire on ship is no bueno. You train harder for fires than most anything else from what I know.

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

13 minutes ago, AUS-97HORN said:

 both of those ships were carrying thousands of tons of actual explosives (or in the case of Texas City, the primary ingredient in all explosives),

thats clearly not the case here. 

That's what they want you to think. THE WHOLE THING'S GONNA BLOW

[The University 851]

 

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

Sad that it happened, but at least it happened in port.  Fire on ship is no bueno. You train harder for fires than most anything else from what I know.

wife and I were discussing...

her "It's amazing how they only had 18 injuries(reported at the time.)"

me: "You know they do more than train for fires on a ship?  Fucking nothing."

 

and yes, thankful they were in port.  DGAF about the ship itself.  Hopefully no further injuries reported to crew or firefighters.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

Here’s a pic of my son walking into the steering room on the Spruance.  Now imagine all that insulation and wiring melting, and everything full of smoke so thick you can’t see.  

Edited July 13, 2020 by Judge Roybeanbag

[Schulz2.0 28960]

2 hours ago, AUS-97HORN said:

I remember the USS Miami arson started by a contractor who didnt want to work anymore that day. It took more than a year for the Navy to finally scrap the Miami with repairs estimates climbing rapidly in just 1 year after the fire

My time in the Navy made me really hate shipyard workers. Lazy AF.

[texhorn 351]

6 minutes ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

Here’s a pic of my son walking into the steering room on the Spruance. 

 

That looks like the bridge. 

[staboner 4984]

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

9 minutes ago, texhorn said:

That looks like the bridge. 

It is, I called it the steering room cause I’m not a sailor, and I don’t entertain seamen.  

[Guadaloopy 10973]

1 hour ago, aggie08 said:

From my "inside sources":

"Latest and greatest: There is no way to safely fight the fire. The fire is in the engine rooms and hitting the fuel tanks and there are multiple explosions. The decks are collapsing as well. Small arms ammo and SCBAs are exploding as well. Fire started off as a CHARLIE In the emergency generator which led to ALPHA/BRAVO. Boiler tanks were 75% full of DFM. Looks like they're just going to let it burn itself out and do exterior cooling."

If that is true, a lot of systems and procedures failed for it get as bad as it has.  This doesn’t sound right to me, especially the reference to “boiler tanks.”  That’s unfamiliar terminology to me, and I’m an old 1200 psi steam EOOW.

[Guadaloopy 10973]

Takes elephant balls to walk up that brow.  Godspeed...

 

[aggie08 21505]

9 minutes ago, Guadaloopy said:

If that is true, a lot of systems and procedures failed for it get as bad as it has.  This doesn’t sound right to me, especially the reference to “boiler tanks.”  That’s unfamiliar terminology to me, and I’m an old 1200 psi steam EOOW.

I should have prefaced my post by saying that my source isn't Navy. Just someone who's in tune with the San Diego Navy/mariners community (Coasties, shipyards, tugs, you name it) and has worked on that base a ton. Hopefully, the 2nd or 3rd hand gossip he's getting is exaggerated.

[Guadaloopy 10973]

Official word from the Navy (via RDML Sobeck 6:30PDT press briefing) is that the fire began in the vehicle storage area near the ship’s well deck.  No info as to actual cause.  Current classification of the fire is an “A” fire, so this is not a fuel-fed fire at this point.

To cross-check with aggie08’s inside source, the aft emergency diesel generator is in that area.  It’s not beyond possibility that there was an issue with the generator that caused the fire.  

[NAVY 6747]

Wasn’t me 

[MadBurgerMaker 404]

Welp.  I wonder if they'll decom it, assuming the damage is as bad as it looks, or pony up for the repairs.  Fairly sure Triploi is pretty close to being ready and all, but LHDs are...kind of a big deal.

 

They're probably wishing those two LCSs burned to the waterline instead.  

Edited July 13, 2020 by MadBurgerMaker
spelling

[tx 3 putt 77061]

someone wanted a sunday off 

[Anastasis 23475]

3 hours ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

and I don’t entertain seamen.  

South Austin's mom. 

[RPM 26322]

11 hours ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

It is, I called it the steering room cause I’m not a sailor, and I don’t entertain seamen.  

The "steering room" is in the stern above the rudder where all the steering gear is. It's called aft steering. 

[Bevo 13579]

So does the captain still have to go down with the ship? Let's assume he is out to dinner with his wife and he is told that the ship is sinking. Does he say, "Sorry honey, there's something I have to take care of at work" and then keep wearing his suit, drive to the shipyard, walk over to the bridge and salute?

Edited July 13, 2020 by Bevo

[Guadaloopy 10973]

2 hours ago, Bevo said:

So does the captain still have to go down with the ship? Let's assume he is out to dinner with his wife and he is told that the ship is sinking. Does he say, "Sorry honey, there's something I have to take care of at work" and then keep wearing his suit, drive to the shipyard, walk over to the bridge and salute?

In the ensuing investigation, it’s likely that it will be found that safety programs were lacking or instructions weren’t followed.  I’d be very surprised if the Navy didn’t find some reason to fire him.  

[Reagan1k 3024]

From San Diego paper quoting their sources including Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3

Quote

Sobeck said the fire was not fueled by fuel oil, hazardous materials or electrical causes. It is a Class Alpha fire, he said, meaning it was fueled by paper, cloth, rags or other materials in a standard fire. He added he is not concerned about the air quality or toxicity around the fire.

Sobeck said there was no ordnance on board. There are a million gallons of fuel on board, he said, but that is “well below” any heat source.

The explosion people heard in the morning was likely caused by a change in air pressure, he said.

Also - according to Navy Times, only 160 of the 1000 man crew were on board at the time of the fire and many of those were overseeing contractors as the ship was under maintenance/construction work including upgrades to the flight deck.