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USS Bonhomme Richard on fire

dapaterson

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More views of the #fire burning now on board US #Navy amphibious ship USS #BONHOMME RICHARD LHD6 at 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego. Reports so far indicate 3 sailors, 1 SDFD fireman injured. At the moment the fire seems to be growing

https://twitter.com/CavasShips/status/1282380677653176320

 
Live feed of fire: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/uss-bonhomme-richard-on-fire-at-naval-base-san-diego/509-6aec1280-f709-4e88-b9ee-2d393f942467
 
Look where the fire-tugs are directing their water for boundary: Below the hangar deck. That is not a good sign - it would be a fire below the hangar.
 
Ouch...

Was just watching the live feed...

Was hoping the smoke would lessen, and then that super black smoke just started erupting near the rear of the ship.  Genuinely wishing God speed for all of them - serious looking situation 
 
The live feed does not paint an optimistic picture.  They have a major zone fire that appears to pretty much seems to be running 2/3 of the ship's length and involve multiple decks.

With the ship obviously under refit (see the sea cans and cranes on deck), it makes me wonder how many fitted systems were out of commission and how many water tight doors have been blocked open with temporary exhaust trunking, etc.  That would make it very challenging to isolate the fire(s) and establish any kind of boundary.

They will be lucky to save her, at this point, I think.
 
Jesus. That’s bad news. Reddit’s got people updating from emergency services scanners. Sounds like below the waterline, out of control, several explosions, all crew accounted for, and they’re trying to get other nearby vessels underway. All in all, bad signs. https://www.reddit.com/r/navy/comments/hpxodt/lhd_6_uss_bonhomme_richard_on_fire_in_san_diego/

LHD-6 Carries 6 fixed wing, 12 Ospreys, an assortment of other rotary wing, and around 1600 Marines. This is a big asset to lose.
 
Are they just trying to keep it cool?  Looks like they are spraying the side of it...
 
I was asking myself that same question Bruce, as the one tug on the bottom right (When I was watching a while ago) was just spraying the side of it.  Didn't look to be getting water in any of the openings.

I assumed that was for a reason  :dunno:
 
Bruce Monkhouse said:
Are they just trying to keep it cool?  Looks like they are spraying the side of it...

the fire boats are just there as a boundary- in other words, their job is to keep the hull plates cool enough so they do not lose structural integrity or so the paint doesn't light off and start an external fire. They are not there to put out the fire.  That is happening from the inside with some combination of fitted system and actual fire-fighters with hoses trying to put out the fire.  It is about the worst time you can ever be onboard a ship.
 
From fire scanners, a whole bunch of sailors fled the pier, made mention of the fire reaching the fuel lines, and at around that time the smoke got darker.
 
The Reddit post, sort the comments by new: https://www.reddit.com/r/navy/comments/hpxodt/lhd_6_uss_bonhomme_richard_on_fire_in_san_diego/?sort=new

The live feed on facebook (hel appears to have gone to refuel, image switched to a fixed camera feed ) has the expected shitshow commentary from the confidently ignorant drowning out those who know enough to try and correct the recurring misconceptions: https://www.facebook.com/ABC10News/videos/737711026963921/?v=737711026963921
 
They are moving other ships away from it. Sounds like they may try the automatic systems and hope for the best and if not let it burn itself out. I am guessing weekend duty watch in port is going to be busy with drills using this scenario for awhile.
 
Colin P said:
They are moving other ships away from it. Sounds like they may try the automatic systems and hope for the best and if not let it burn itself out. I am guessing weekend duty watch in port is going to be busy with drills using this scenario for awhile.

Can someone explain to a non-sailor why automatic systems aren't the default go-to approach?
 
dapaterson said:
Can someone explain to a non-sailor why automatic systems aren't the default go-to approach?
.

Just from reading a bunch of sailors on Reddit they may not have been in service due to the yard work going on. Similarly, a lot of the hatches that help compartmentalism such disasters may have been open with venting and hoses running through them...
 
By definition, automatic systems are the default go-to: They kick in automatically. Fitted systems remotely operated may or may not be used immediately - it's a command decision.

However, wether we are talking of automatic systems or fitted systems, many such systems are disabled during refits, just as many of the hatches and watertight doors are in a state where they cannot be operated. Refits are always very dangerous times onboard a warship, with many potential and actual incidents, accidents ... and disasters just waiting to happen.

The good news, if that is possible, is that being in refit, her airplanes and marines would have been landed and any tank not being worked on would likely have been topped up (I know, counter-intuitive, but a filled AVGAS or Diesel tank is less dangerous than an empty or near empty one, where the fumes are highly explosive).
 
Her state and status, until this morning, was  “in-service 30 day maintenance availability period”, not “refit” but whether that makes any difference about whether hatches are propped open and tanks full I really don’t know.
 
CloudCover said:
Her state and status, until this morning, was  “in-service 30 day maintenance availability period”, not “refit” but whether that makes any difference about whether hatches are propped open and tanks full I really don’t know.

Is that basically ‘30 days notice to move’?

Lots of equipment on her flight deck. I don’t know what such a maintenance period entails, but probably a fair bit of work.
 
17 sailors are injured a nd 4 civvies I guess the fire is ongoing despite that it started at 9am PST. Glad there havent been any serious injuries. The USN has always prided itself on damage control.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/fire-uss-bonhomme-richard-naval-base-san-diego
 
If she's at "notice to move" rather than at "refit", would her magazines be empty?
 
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