Navy: Progress made on warship fire, but ship’s fate uncertain

SAN DIEGO » Marking significant progress, firefighters were able to move deeper inside the fire-engulfed USS Bonhomme Richard on Tuesday on their third day of battling the flames. But a top Navy official said it was too soon to say if the 23-year-old ship that is burning on opposite ends will be salvageable.

Navy officials were able to inspect four main engineering rooms and found no major damage, and the external structure of the ship appears to be safe, said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, the commander of the strike group whose flagship is the USS Bonhomme Richard.

But he cautioned at a briefing that there is still “a major fire inside” being fought by hundreds of sailors who were focusing their efforts on two isolated spots near the stern and the bow of the ship. It was unclear if there were two distinct fires on board or if the area burning near the tail end was simply from the heat of a single large blaze, Sobeck said.

It’s also unclear whether the amphibious assault ship that is akin to a mini-aircraft carrier can still be repaired.