U.S. Navy ship fire put out
‘The cause of the fire is currently under investigation... New Orleans’ crew will remain aboard the ship.’
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Daily Tribune‘The cause of the fire is currently under investigation... New Orleans’ crew will remain aboard the ship.’
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SMOKE comes out from the United States Navy vessel USS New Orleans as water is sprayed (left) to help put out the fire, off the coast near White Beach on the Japanese southern island of Okinawa.
JAPAN COAST GUARD/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A fire on a United States Navy ship off Japan was finally put out after 12 hours early Thursday, the US military said, after local vessels spent most of the night dousing the blaze.
Two US sailors were treated for minor injuries from the fire which broke out on the USS New Orleans in the southern island of Okinawa on Wednesday, the US 7th Fleet said in a statement.
“The cause of the fire is currently under investigation... New Orleans’ crew will remain aboard the ship,” the statement said.
The 208.4-meter, 24,433-ton amphibious transport dock ship is anchored off the White Beach Naval Facility.
Japan’s Coast Guard said that initially the US military sought assistance from Japan, but then cancelled the request before then renewing it around 7:30 p.m.
Four Japanese vessels — from the Coast Guard, the navy and private contractors — spent the night dousing the blaze, spokesperson Tetsuhiro Azumahiga told Agence France-Presse.
The United States has around 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, mostly on Okinawa.
