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A fire aboard the USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock, left two sailors with minor injuries Wednesday. The blaze began while the ship was at White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa, Japan.
The fire burned for approximately 12 hours before being extinguished early Thursday, according to a statement from the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet.
Both injured sailors received treatment, though the nature of their injuries remains undisclosed. The cause of the fire on the 684-foot vessel is currently under investigation.
Sailors aboard the USS New Orleans, aided by the crew of the nearby USS San Diego, fought the fire. They received assistance from both the Japanese Coast Guard and military. The Navy confirmed that the crew will remain aboard the USS New Orleans, which was commissioned in 2007 and has a capacity of 800 people.
This incident evokes memories of the 2020 fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego. That fire burned for five days and ultimately led to the ship being scrapped.
A sailor was charged with arson in that case but was later acquitted. A subsequent Navy report cited widespread failures across command and crew that contributed to the devastating damage.