Navy Investigates Cause of Blaze Aboard USS New Orleans Near Japan

Officials from the U.S. 7th Fleet have confirmed that the Navy successfully extinguished a fire aboard the amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans after a 12-hour struggle Wednesday night off the coast of Okinawa, Japan.

Around 4 p.m., a fire broke out as the San Antonio-class vessel docked at White Beach Naval Facility. The team acted promptly, with assistance from sailors aboard the USS San Diego, another amphibious transport dock stationed close by. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze.

The Navy reported that the ship treated two sailors who sustained minor injuries. Despite the availability of accommodations in San Diego and at Fleet Activities Okinawa, officials noted that the crew of the New Orleans stayed on board after the incident.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Coast Guard provided support. Local coverage showed Japanese firefighting vessels extinguishing flames on the deck of the New Orleans. According to tracking data from Marine Traffic, as of Thursday, the ship remained anchored, with the Japanese tug Reiwa on standby.

Launched in 2007, the USS New Orleans has participated in numerous global missions. In 2009, a collision occurred with the attack submarine USS Hartford in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in minor damage. In 2015, the crew successfully rescued the aircrew and Marines of an MV-22 Osprey that had crashed on its deck during training exercises.

The Navy remains under examination regarding shipboard fire safety in the aftermath of the catastrophic 2020 fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego. A fire raged for four days, resulting in 63 injuries and ultimately culminating in the ship's dismantling. An inquiry highlighted shortcomings in fire safety procedures and issues with equipment reliability.

Wednesday’s fire has once again brought to the forefront the ongoing debate regarding the Navy’s dependence on aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, which is known for its effectiveness as a suppressant but also contains harmful PFAS chemicals. The Defense Department has committed to eliminating AFFF from military bases, yet the Navy persists in its use aboard ships, highlighting the risks posed by uncontrolled fires at sea. A report from the Pentagon in 2023 presented to Congress indicated that options for existing vessels are still constrained, although new ships are being developed with various suppression systems.

Currently, officials report that New Orleans is still operational and remains afloat. “The safety and survivability of naval ships and crew from fires relies on the use of current PFAS-based firefighting foams,” stated the Pentagon last year.