FILE – In this July 12, 2020, file photo, smoke rises from the USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego in San Diego after an explosion and fire. The U.S. Navy said Thursday, July 29, 2021, that charges have been filed against a sailor who is accused of starting a fire last year that destroyed a warship docked off San Diego. The amphibious assault ship called the USS Bonhomme Richard burned for more than four days and was the Navy's worst U.S. warship fire outside of combat in recent memory. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)
A Navy report on the arson fire of the USS Bonhomme Richard last July found “repeated failures” by an “inadequately prepared crew” delivered “an ineffective fire response”. The video above shows archived video of the ship fire.
“Although the fire was started by an act of arson, the ship was lost due to an inability to extinguish the fire,” the Navy fire report said.
According to USNI News, training and oversight failures throughout the fleet contributed to the loss of the $2 billion warship. U.S. 3rd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Scott Conn, who oversaw the investigation, singled out 36 individuals who he said were responsible for the loss of the ship due to either their actions on July 12 or lack of oversight leading up to the alleged arson.
“The training and readiness of the ship’s crew were deficient. They were unprepared to respond. Integration between the ship and supporting shore-based firefighting organizations was inadequate,” Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Samuel Paparo wrote in his Aug. 3 endorsement of the investigation, according to USNI. “There was an absence of effective oversight that should have identified the accumulated risk, and taken independent action to ensure readiness to fight a fire.”
Among specific shortcomings the Navy fire report found:
The main firefighting foam system wasn’t used because it hadn’t been maintained properly and the crew didn’t know how to use it.
Combustible materials were stacked, scattered and stored improperly.
Maintenance reports were falsified.
87 percent of the fire stations on board had equipment problems or had not been inspected.
Crew members did not ring the bells and alert sailors that there was a fire until a full 10 minutes after it was discovered.
This past July, Seaman Apprentice Ryan Mays was charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel, according to USNI. He has denied setting the fire.
Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Lescher has designated the commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet to handle any disciplinary actions for military members. It’s not clear if any have yet been relieved of command or removed from jobs as a result of the fire or the Navy report.
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