A major fire raged for 12 hours aboard the USS New Orleans while the ship was anchored off Okinawa, injuring two sailors and prompting a multi-agency firefighting response, the US Navy’s 7th Fleet reported.
The fire broke out around 4 p.m. local time on Wednesday aboard the amphibious transport dock ship and was officially declared extinguished early Thursday morning. However, the Japan Coast Guard said firefighting efforts continued until just after 9 a.m., and an investigation is underway to confirm the fire is fully out. Two sailors sustained minor injuries and were treated onboard.
The 684-foot vessel, which can carry over 360 sailors and up to 800 Marines, was anchored off White Beach Naval Facility, a key staging area on Okinawa’s east coast that supports Marine deployments. Crews from another Navy ship, the USS San Diego, also moored at White Beach, assisted in fighting the fire.
Support also came from the Japan Coast Guard, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and other US Navy units stationed in Okinawa. Footage from Japanese broadcaster NHK showed tugboats spraying water on the ship’s bow during firefighting efforts. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Fire Raises Readiness Concerns
Retired US Navy Captain and analyst Carl Schuster said the incident highlights ongoing risks aboard Navy vessels, which carry large amounts of flammable materials.
“A fire of that extent used to be rare on US Navy warships,” Schuster said, noting the New Orleans could be out of service for 60 to 120 days due to damage.
The incident recalls the devastating 2020 fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, which burned for more than four days in San Diego. That fire led to the ship being scrapped and prompted extensive reforms after investigations found systemic failures in maintenance, training, and oversight.
Although the Navy implemented new safety protocols after the Bonhomme Richard fire, Schuster said the New Orleans blaze shows further improvements are needed.
“The Navy needs to review and improve its fire prevention and firefighting procedures,” he said.
