This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
On July 12, 2020, a devastating fire broke out on the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard at the U.S. Naval base in San Diego, prompting a massive response from the Navy and local fire departments.
Eighteen sailors were rushed to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Navy.
The fire started on the amphibious assault ship, which was docked at the base for scheduled maintenance between deployments, said Krishna Jackson, a Navy spokeswoman.
Smoke billowed from the middle of the ship, but the source of the fire and explosion that followed was unclear.
Approximately 160 sailors were on board when the fire was first reported at 8:30 a.m. local time, the Navy said.
The Bonhomme Richard is an 847-foot-long amphibious assault ship capable of carrying helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, with a crew of 102 officers and over 1,000 sailors.
The ship was commissioned on August 15, 1998, and is the third Navy warship to bear the name Bonhomme Richard, which was named after the French translation of Benjamin Franklin's pen name used in 'Poor Richard's Almanac.'
