 | Fire aboard the USS Washington| SitRep Discuss Fire aboard the USS Washington in the Military Matters forums; One sailor was treated for first-degree burns and 23 others for heat stress after a fire on a U.... |
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05-24-2008, 07:05 AM
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#1 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,713
Country:  | Fire aboard the USS Washington
Quote:
One sailor was treated for first-degree burns and 23 others for heat stress after a fire on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier burned for hours, the Navy said Friday.
There were no fatalities on the ship.
Thursday's fire on the USS George Washington in the Pacific Ocean off South America was classified as "serious," Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jeff Davis said.
Smoke initially was detected in air-conditioning and refrigeration spaces before spreading to other areas, causing "extreme heat" in the ship, according to Davis.
He said it took several hours to contain and then extinguish the blaze.
The ship's nuclear propulsion system was not damaged, and the George Washington is continuing toward a scheduled port call in San Diego, California.
| The part that concerned me was that it "burned for hours".
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05-24-2008, 09:00 AM
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#2 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 29,774
Country:  | Wow thankgod everyone is okay!
I am interested in hearing why this happened.
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05-24-2008, 09:35 AM
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#3 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,713
Country: | From what I have been able to find out, it looks like it was either along a cable raceway or some duct work, which made it difficult to get at and made it easier to spread. The skipper said that the firefighting efforts were "heroic".
__________________ http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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05-24-2008, 09:52 AM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London
Posts: 2,820
| One of the lessons the RN learnt in the Falklands was how fast fires can spread along cables. Normal proceedure on board ship with a fire is to contain it, basically ensure all the doors are shut and let it burn itself out which of course takes time.
However its easier said than done as the fires can spread along cables and it has been known for a fire to smoulder and then ignite. I believe all RN vessels had all their cables replaced after the Falklands to reduce the smoke generated when they smoulder.
Smoke is the big problem and its true to say that when you fight a fire in a compartment you can see absolutely nothing. You navigate by touch and are trained to fight the fire blind. Anyone who fights a fire in these conditions deserves every respect. | |
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05-24-2008, 12:33 PM
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#5 | | aka Dickcheese
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State
Posts: 10,437
Country: | Kapton wiring. Burns quickly and fumes are toxic at <1ppm. That is why you have seen Kapton replaced in the aerospace sector over the last 20 years. I'm sure that is exactly what occured with the RN too.
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05-24-2008, 12:38 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 2,382
Country: | Amazing how such a modern machine can be so vulnerable. I'm sure they will learn from it.
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05-24-2008, 02:25 PM
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#7 | | Older Than Dirt
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Posts: 5,026
Country: | I've been involved with small fires at sea, usually a paint locker, or some
place where combustables are stored. The bad thing about a fire, at sea,
is.... you have no place to run to.
Charles
__________________  The thing I hate about an argument
is that it always interrupts a discussion... | |
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05-24-2008, 02:54 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 136
Country:  | Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt308  Kapton wiring. Burns quickly and fumes are toxic at <1ppm. That is why you have seen Kapton replaced in the aerospace sector over the last 20 years. I'm sure that is exactly what occured with the RN too. | I think the flammability of Kapton was the cause of the Swissair crash that happened about 40 mi. from my place.
Very glad to hear that the fire will only cost money...And hats off to the firefighters. | |
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05-24-2008, 05:12 PM
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#9 | | aka Dickcheese
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State
Posts: 10,437
Country: | The Swiss Air crash was not directly attributable to Kapton. Rather Kapton was one of many contributors to that tragic accident. The primary cause of that accident was deemed poor development and installation standards of In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) equipment. Quite an eye opener for aircraft manufacturers, operators and regulatory authorities.
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Marines don't have that problem."
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05-24-2008, 06:47 PM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 136
Country: | Yeah, I know it didn't start the fire, but it certainly made it worse.
My friend's 11 yr old daughter was on a school field trip about 3 months later, and they found a foot-long piece of human vertebrae on the beach...
JL | |
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05-25-2008, 07:25 AM
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#11 | | Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,692
Country: | Being a ex naval fighter fighter and machiest mate I got to say a fire at sea is one of your worst night mares. The heat is unbearable even in the fire suits of today. Im just glad no one died from the fire.
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05-29-2008, 10:06 AM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 330
Country: | oh my god as with the rest of you what the hell happend
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06-07-2008, 04:25 PM
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#13 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1
Country: | Hey everyone,
I was aboard the USS Washington when this fir took place. I never was in there fighting fires myself, as I was injured, and couldn't hold the hose properly. However, it did burn for hours, 14 at least. It started at about 8 am, and they were still calling re-flashes and other fires at 2200.
I did see a lot of heroic people, and I'm proud of everyone on that shiop. We had to dramatically change our way of life for that last week out at see, and an already difficul life was made worse... | |
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06-07-2008, 07:49 PM
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#14 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Jersey, United States
Posts: 6,717
Country: | Glad you're ok Howie and hope the same for the rest.
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06-08-2008, 11:37 PM
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#15 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 180
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Glider One of the lessons the RN learnt in the Falklands was how fast fires can spread along cables. Normal proceedure on board ship with a fire is to contain it, basically ensure all the doors are shut and let it burn itself out which of course takes time.
However its easier said than done as the fires can spread along cables and it has been known for a fire to smoulder and then ignite. I believe all RN vessels had all their cables replaced after the Falklands to reduce the smoke generated when they smoulder.
Smoke is the big problem and its true to say that when you fight a fire in a compartment you can see absolutely nothing. You navigate by touch and are trained to fight the fire blind. Anyone who fights a fire in these conditions deserves every respect. | Now today when there is now more advance electronic hardware build in those modern warship. they must have i guessing 10 or 20 times more cabels than those ship in Falklands war dont they? If so whouldent the problem whit smoke increase a lot? Dont forget the toxic in the smoke from the burned plastic. Has those designer-engineer of those warship made some sollution to this problem? | |
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