USS Bonhomme Richard on fire at Naval Base San Diego

a reply to: JIMC5499

What Halon system?

At least significant parts of the automated halon firefighting systems were offline at the time of the fire. Enhanced pier-side fire watch readiness posture was supposedly in place.

From the presser by Admiral Sobeck via The Drive.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
And if they weren't on patrol at that time other ships that were able to go forward into combat zones would have had to go on those patrols.

Their shore patrol participation was minimal at best.

Of the three that got back into service the soonest, Maryland, Tennessee and Nevada, only Maryland was on standby on the West Coast. Nevada participated in the Aleutians as the Navy knew it wasn't the primary target and could afford to send an older ship and this was May of 1943, long after extra ships were needed at Guadalcanal and five months after the United States produced more shipping tonnage than in one month than the Japanese did in the entire war.

If none of the battleships sunk at Pearl Harbor were refloated the United States would have still won the Pacific War without much hardship from their absence.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I didn't say that we wouldn't have won, or that it would have made things harder without them. I said it gave them more flexibility and options. Having more ships means more ability to cover missions and put more capable ships where they're needed.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Learned a new term "Listing" today.

Here's cbs8 San Diego with a live feed. One black hawk left, the forward tower somewhat collapsed.
Seems the fire is contained and the investigation will start.
www.cbs8.com...

They are draining the water and the ship is correcting the list or lean if you will. Still unsure of the initial cause or if this is a Wright off.

59 injured.
news.usni.org...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
I didn't say that we wouldn't have won, or that it would have made things harder without them. I said it gave them more flexibility and options. Having more ships means more ability to cover missions and put more capable ships where they're needed.

They weren't really needed, that's my point. By the time they got into the theater full time they were relegated to ineffectual shore bombardment. Even at Leyte Gulf the PT's and DDs did more than the standards in their last shot at glory.

some pictures

a reply to: mightmight

Not the victim of gunfire or a missile strike, just an ordinary fire. On a ship with no aircraft, no stores and no ammunition ? Good grief, the damage is terrible.

And the flight deck ? Jeez. That’s genuinely troubling.

Wow, holes melted in the deck?

a reply to: TheShippingForecast

She's most vulnerable to fire in yard hands. Doors are blocked open, firefighting systems are tagged out, there's minimal trained crew on board...

With noxious and dangerous fumes like that, could they tow it out of it's berth and scuttle it in really shallow water?
How long will it burn before people wind up in the hospitals?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: TheShippingForecast

She's most vulnerable to fire in yard hands. Doors are blocked open, firefighting systems are tagged out, there's minimal trained crew on board...

Yes, yes, yes.

a reply to: charlyv

They could tow the ship. If it goes wrong the ship could end up blocking the harbor. Not very likely though.
Scuttling / sinking the ship would violate a ton of environmental legislation without gutting her first. Pretty bs but what can you do.
People won't end up in hospitals but the sustained smoke will probably lead to more cancer cases down the line.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: TheShippingForecast

She's most vulnerable to fire in yard hands. Doors are blocked open, firefighting systems are tagged out, there's minimal trained crew on board...

All true.

That’s why dockyard/ship risk assessments get carried out. To identify the fire risk and put in place steps to minimise that risk and mitigate any consequences. To prevent that welders spark becoming a major conflagration.

Heroic as the crew and firefighters may have been, there’s no way a major warship should be reduced to a smoking hulk while in dock. Just shouldn’t happen.

Negligence/incompetence.
Either/both.

originally posted by: TheShippingForecast

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: TheShippingForecast

She's most vulnerable to fire in yard hands. Doors are blocked open, firefighting systems are tagged out, there's minimal trained crew on board...

All true.

That’s why dockyard/ship risk assessments get carried out. To identify the fire risk and put in place steps to minimise that risk and mitigate any consequences. To prevent that welders spark becoming a major conflagration.

Heroic as the crew and firefighters may have been, there’s no way a major warship should be reduced to a smoking hulk while in dock. Just shouldn’t happen.

Negligence/incompetence.
Either/both.

It happens. This was a great lakes barge last year in a Toldeo yard, I was working 5 barges in Ashtabula, OH at the time it went up.
www.boatnerd.com...

a reply to: TheShippingForecast

Significant shipyard fires have been increasing, and the warnings about fire safety have been out there. Fitzgerald suffered at least three fires while being repaired. Truxtun suffered major damage to several decks of her superstructure in 2006, during a construction fire. Oscar Austin is undergoing a three year repair after an electrical fire in the yards. It was just a matter of time before something like this happened.

Known fires are out. Some hatches have been sealed and will have to be cut through. There's a chance of a reignition as they do or a backdraft.

www.thedrive.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Sister ship USS Kearsage had a fire at Norfolk, yesterday. It’s in the yard for maintenance. A spark from a welders torch ignited nearby combustibles/plastics. The fire was quickly extinguished and damage is minor.

The US Navy have issued contractors GD NASSCO with a stop instruction, requiring work to now be suspended, to ensure that the company are following risk assessment/fire prevention procedures. It’s the same contractor as used for USS Bonhomme Richard.

The future John F Kennedy was evacuated after a fire broke out today. It was quickly put out though.

Eleven of 14 decks were damaged.

NASSCO awarded $10M emergency firefighting and cleanup contract.

a reply to: Zaphod58

She's officially done.

Navy Will Spend Around $30 Million To Scrap Fire-Damaged USS Bonhomme Richard
www.thedrive.com...