{"id":27130,"date":"2020-07-17T21:13:13","date_gmt":"2020-07-17T21:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/07\/17\/cno-navy-thought-it-had-a-handle-on-bonhomme-richard-fire-sunday-night\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:20:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:20:22","slug":"cno-navy-thought-it-had-a-handle-on-bonhomme-richard-fire-sunday-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2020\/07\/17\/cno-navy-thought-it-had-a-handle-on-bonhomme-richard-fire-sunday-night\/","title":{"rendered":"CNO: Navy thought it had a handle on Bonhomme Richard fire Sunday night"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fire crews thought they might be able to get the fire aboard the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard under control Sunday night after it had been burning throughout the day, but wind and explosions forced leadership to pull fire crews back in the name of safety, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday<\/a> said Friday at a press conference near the amphib in San Diego.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, the fire engulfed the ship from fore to aft, and it burned for more than four days before the Navy announced the extinguishing of all fires Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe really thought we had this fire under control, had the potential to have the fire under control, as early as Sunday night,\u201d Gilday said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noting that the Navy had not seen a ship fire of this magnitude in his decades-long career, Gilday said wind off the bay and the spot where the fire was first called away at 8:30 a.m. Sunday helped it spread and hindered efforts to put it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis fire couldn\u2019t have been in a worse point on the ship,\u201d Gilday said during the 20-minute press conference. \u201cA lot of it spread up elevator shafts \u2026 up exhaust stacks \u2026 to take the fire up into the superstructure and forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photos circulating online show the damaged interior of the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, which burned or more than four days this week. A Navy official verified the photo’s authenticity. (Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA series of explosions\u201d on the ship also forced the ship\u2019s commanding officer, Capt. Gregory Thoroman, to pull back firefighters in the name of safety, which was the right call, Gilday said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m told one in particular could be heard 13 miles away,\u201d CNO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One explosion blasted debris onto another ship across the way, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are times he had to back those firefighters off the ship,\u201d Gilday said. \u201cThe situation was very tenuous; the commanding officer made some very sound decisions on how to attack the fire very deliberately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gilday also praised the hundreds of sailors from across the San Diego waterfront who entered the burning ship repeatedly to fight the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn environment where you could only see two feet in front of you,\u201d he said, citing the bravery of the fire crews, who had an average age in their early 20s. \u201cTo go into that environment again and again and again, temperatures at some point in excess of 1,000 degrees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dozens of Navy and civilian firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf anybody has any doubts about this generation of sailors, soldiers, airmen or Marines \u2026 it should be put to rest,\u201d Gilday said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CNO laid out at least four investigative paths going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A safety investigation, which kicks off with any such shipboard mishap, will be spearheaded by Naval Sea Systems Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photos circulating online show the damaged interior of the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, which burned or more than four days this week. A Navy official verified the photo’s authenticity. (Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service will also probe the incident \u201cas we always do, to make sure there\u2019s no malfeasance at the root of the fire,\u201d Gilday said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A command investigation will look at procedures before and reactions to the fire up and down the command echelon, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe will follow the facts,\u201d he said, promising that investigations into the fire will be made public. \u201cWe\u2019ll be honest with ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four-star fleet commanders have directed every ship in the Navy to ensure that all equipment is ready and that sailors are trained up on procedures for such situations, \u201cso we can all learn from this tragedy,\u201d Gilday said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fourth assessment will look at the structural, electrical and mechanical damage, bringing in industry experts, ship designers and others who will determine whether repairs are feasible or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gilday suggested that getting the Bonhomme Richard back out to sea might not be worth the money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know everybody is interested in the future service of this ship,\u201d he said. \u201cI am 100 percent confident our defense industry can put this ship back to sea. The question is should we make that investment into a 22-year-old ship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bonhomme Richard was in the shipyard and in the midst of extensive upgrades so that it could accommodate the next-generation F-35B fighter jet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That meant tons of contractor materials laid about throughout the ship, and thick bundles of cables snaking through hatches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gilday said mitigation plans are in place for every ship in some situations, including quick disconnects for some hatches.<\/p>\n\n\n\t