USS Bonhomme Richard on fire in San Diego

[CYXR 257]

Live feed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39sRT4_pvTs

[pedrotrindade 335]

Doesn't look good

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Folks,

Jet A is probably the most combustible product onboard.

Shipboard fires are no joke.

Be safe shipmates.

Regards,

Scott

[n4gix 4,947]

I heard on the news about an hour ago that everyone who isn't on the fire team has been evacuated to shore.

It's going to be a mess that's for sure!

[goates 576]

Definitely not looking good.

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by goates
Added Twitter link to photo

[CYXR 257]

This fire could go on for days... Fortunately it happened on a Sunday while it was in dock; probably not full crew onboard... reports that source is possible welding accident... 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1282566574612852737

[n4gix 4,947]

The island's forward section has melted and is leaning forward now. I suspect this will prove to be a total loss for the vessel.

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Folks,

Another shipyard worker that wanted to go home early ?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/15/nuclear-submarine-fire/1990663/

Regards,

Scott

Edited July 13, 2020 by scottb613

[HighBypass 2,339]

Interesting article, Scott.

Quote

Casey James Fury also was ordered to pay $400 million in restitution

... that will take some doing.. 

[goates 576]

59 minutes ago, n4gix said:

The island's forward section has melted and is leaning forward now. I suspect this will prove to be a total loss for the vessel.

It almost certainly is a write off.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34772/uss-bonhomme-richards-bridge-engulfed-in-flames-as-fire-rages-into-the-night

Going to be a lot of explaining to do when you loose one of your largest ships in port.

[Mace 1,904]

51 minutes ago, goates said:

Going to be a lot of explaining to do when you loose one of your largest ships in port.

Outside of the Civil War burning of ships in port at Norfolk yard (to keep them from falling into the hands of the Confederacy), has the USN ever had a ship burn out in port?

[scott967 62]

From reporting, the ship had been in a major maintenance "availability".  There is some indication that during the availability ships' company was moved off the ship to a berthing barge.  But what I read was the availability "should" have been about done by now.  So if the crew was moved off, it should have been moving back about around now.  In a major availability like this, many systems are deactivated either to be repaired, or to gain access to repair or upgrade other items.  Normally not much yard work is done on the weekend, but if they were behind schedule they might have authorized some OT.  If the only ships force aboard is the duty section (due to everyone else living off ship) there is a duty fire team that is required to be qualified, but it is pretty small considering.  Keep in mind the ship is in home port, so even with the crew living aboard most crew not in the duty section would be at home.

 

If there was welding "hot work" there are required "fire watch" which in my experience was always the responsibility of the ship, not the yard. But again, at this point in the availability I wouldn't expect much hot work going on -- should mostly be testing.

 

As far as fuel, in an availability you don't have fuel on board.  And in the navy we don't use Jet A.  Instead we use what's called JP-5 (NATO F-44), due to flash point.  The flammability of JP-5 is no different than the ship's propulsion fuel Diesel Fuel Marine (NATO F-76).  Again at this point in the availability, they may be close to the first "lite-off" of the ship's boilers so there may be some fuel aboard.

 

It's always a problem in availabilities that service lines for things like compressed air for air tools or power for electrical tools are run all over the ship.  There's certain fire-control boundaries set where service lines are prohibited and these can be closed up in a fire, but many other doors/hatches have lines running though them.  Of course in this situation, if you can get to them you take a fire ax and cut through them, but you have to be able to get to them.   I don't know the status of the repair lockers (where all the fire fighting gear is stowed).  But all other ships in the port also have a duty section "repair and assist" detail which can bring firefighting gear to the ship.  Most importantly are the OBA that supply oxygen from generating canisters (also bring all the canisters you can get your hands on). 
Nominally a canister should be good for an hour or so, but in a situation like this you will burn though a can pretty quick.

 

One thing we did after the British "Falklands" war experience, is institute a "mass conflagration" drill, which required all-hands to be ready to fight this sort of thing, but that's all predicated on having the full crew aboard in a "general quarters" posture.

 

Have to speculate if some "corona"  BS contributed to this.

 

scott s.

.

 

 

[scottb613 1,188]

1 hour ago, HighBypass said:

Interesting article, Scott.

... that will take some doing.. 

Hi Mark,

No kidding - as a submariner - this story hit close to home.

Regards,
Scott

[scott967 62]

You have the "Sargo" fire in Pearl Harbor as an example.

[goates 576]

More info given on The Drive today.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34801/two-decks-are-thought-to-separate-fire-on-uss-bonhomme-richard-from-1m-gallons-of-fuel

There is fuel on board at the moment, though it is two decks below the fire.