More than a dozen sailors injured after fire breaks out on board US Navy ship

At least 21 sailors were being treated for injuries on Sunday after a fire and explosion were reported on board the USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego.

The Naval Surface Forces reported on Twitter that “local, base, and shipboard fire fighting teams” were responding to a fire that broke out on the ship.

Local, base, and shipboard fire fighting teams are responding to a fire aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) located on Naval Base San Diego. More information to follow.@LHD6BHR @NavBaseSD

— Naval Surface Forces (@SurfaceWarriors) July 12, 2020

The San Diego Fire Department posted on Twitter that it was assisting with the fire and added there was an explosion with at least one injury at the ship.

Explosion with at least one injury at the USS Bonhomme Richard. #shipfire pic.twitter.com/HooWIRcjU4

— SDFD (@SDFD) July 12, 2020

The department did not report a cause for the outbreak of the fire.

SDFD first reported shortly before 10:30 a.m. local time that multiple agencies were assisting with a military ship fire. The department said their help was first requested at about 9 a.m.

“Several sailors are being treated for a variety of injuries,” the department tweeted about 20 minutes later.

SDFD posted that all of their personnel were accounted for as of 11:19 a.m. and said officials were “In the process of accounting for all firefighters and clearing the area.”

Local ABC affiliate KGTV posted a livestream video of the fire on Facebook.

Officials later reported that at least 21 sailors were sent to local hospitals with minor injuries.

Krishna Jackson, a public affairs officer for Naval Base San Diego, told NBC San Diego that the ship had undergone a regular maintenance cycle before the fire.

The USS Bonhomme Richard is an amphibious assault ship that has been held in San Diego since 2018 after six years docked in Japan, according to the U.S. Naval Institute.