A frightening scene this morning off the coast of San Diego. Multiple fire crews are working to put out a fire onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard. The ship was docked in San Diego when an explosion occurred Sunday. The Navy Times reports:

Krishna Jackson, a spokeswoman for San Diego Naval Base, estimated about 200 sailors and officers were on board Sunday morning. San Diego is the Bonhomme Richard’s home port and it was undergoing routine maintenance at the time of the fire.

Pictures of the ship circulating online show smoke billowing out of the decks and firefighters spraying the ship’s hull with water to cool the steel.

https://twitter.com/SurfaceWarriors/status/1282427075488411648

The San Diego Union-Tribune says, “The ship was in drydock at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego last year and has been undergoing further maintenance at Naval Base San Diego. Its last deployment was in 2018.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.