Massive blaze aboard Navy ship on San Diego Bay declared extinguished

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - After a four-day battle against a raging fire, the blaze aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego is believed to be fully extinguished, but crews are working today to verify that no fires are still burning.

   As of early Thursday afternoon, ``all known fires'' on the 27,565-ton warship were out, Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck announced.

   ``Our fire teams are investigating every space to verify the absence of fire,'' Sobeck said.

   He said that process must be complete prior to the start of an official inquiry into what caused the conflagration -- which included several explosions aboard the vessel -- how much damage it did and ``what the future of the ship will be. We cannot make any conclusions until the investigation is complete.''

   During a briefing Thursday afternoon at the naval base south of downtown San Diego, Sobeck described the 22-year-old ship as ravaged -- its melted aluminum superstructure bent at a 45-degree angle -- but not dead in the water.

   ``The ship can be repaired,'' he said. ``Whether or not it will be repaired will be determined.''

   Though all the flames aboard the ship were believed to be out as of 2 p.m. Thursday, firefighters continued their efforts to get its superheated interior back to safe conditions.

   A total of 40 sailors and 23 civilian firefighters suffered various minor injuries, mostly heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation, while taking part in the battle to defeat the blaze, Navy officials said.

The fire erupted shortly before 9 a.m. Sunday in a part of the vessel where cardboard and Tri wall boxes are kept. Soon, thick columns of acrid smoke were wafting above the bay and across much of the city. There were 160 sailors and officers aboard the ship when the fire broke out, Navy spokesman Brian O'Rourke said.