A three-alarm fire broke out Sunday morning aboard the USS Bonhomee Richard at Naval Base San Diego, military officials said. Several sailors, including a few civilians, were sent to the hospital for “non-life threatening injuries,” according to the Navy.
The blaze broke out shortly before 9 a.m. local time and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Video posted on social media showed crews responding and smoke in the air. The San Diego Fire Department, who assisted in the emergency, said there was an explosion.
The USS Bonhomme Richard is an 840-foot amphibious assault vessel and the Navy said there were 160 sailors on board at the time of the incident. All personnel are accounted for, per the Navy. It was unclear where onboard the fire started. Officials initially said one person was treated for smoke inhalation.
The Associated Press said the vessel was undergoing routine maintenance at the time of the fire. San Diego is the home port for Bonhomme Richard.
Nearby Navy ships USS Fitzgerald and USS Russell “shifted berths to a pier further away from the fire,” officials said Sunday afternoon.
