FIRE ON US WARSHIP NEAR JAPAN INJURES 2 SAILORS BEFORE BEING PUT OUT. (PHOTO).

Fire on US warship near Japan injures 2 sailors before being put out

A fire broke out Wednesday aboard the USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock ship stationed off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, leaving two sailors with minor injuries, according to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet. Officials confirmed that the fire, which lasted nearly 12 hours, was extinguished and that the cause remains under investigation. The incident occurred while the 684-foot vessel was operating near the White Beach Naval Facility.

The crew of the USS New Orleans was assisted in firefighting efforts by sailors from the USS San Diego, another amphibious warship, along with support from the Japanese coast guard and military forces. The Navy said its personnel will remain aboard the vessel, which was commissioned in 2007 and is capable of carrying up to 800 people. The fire came four years after a devastating blaze on the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego, which burned for five days, caused catastrophic damage, and ultimately led to the ship’s decommissioning. A sailor was charged but later acquitted in that case, while a Navy investigation found widespread leadership and crew failures contributed to the destruction.