SAN DIEGO — Smoking appears to have sparked a fire that caused $70 million in damage to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, Naval officials said today.
The announcement by the Navy came as Adm. Robert Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, relieved the carrier’s commanding officer, Capt. David Dykhoff, and the executive officer of duty, Capt. David Dober.
Willard said he lost confidence in their ability to command and their failure to meet mission standards after the investigation found that unauthorized smoking by a crew member appeared to have ignited flammable liquids and other combustible material that were improperly stored.
“The fire and the subsequent magnitude of the fire were the result of a series of human acts that could have been prevented,” according to a statement released by the Naval Air Forces in San Diego.
The Norfolk, Va.-based carrier was en route from Chile to San Diego when the fire began on May 22.
Smoking is allowed on aircraft carriers but only in designated areas, said Joe Walker, a spokesman with Naval Air Forces.
Flames were initially spotted near the auxiliary boiler room and air conditioning and refrigeration space in the rear of the ship. The safety of the ship’s nuclear reactor wasn’t threatened.
Naval officials now say it took about 12 hours to put out the fire because of the location and size. Fire and heat damaged electrical cabling and components running through 80 of the 3,800 compartments across several decks of the carrier.
The crew of the carrier has been temporarily assigned to shore duty in San Diego since shortly after the fire.
Capt. J.R. Haley, who previously commanded the nuclear-powered carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, has taken command of the carrier, replacing Dykhoff. Capt. Karl Thomas has replaced Dober. Dykhoff and Dober have been temporarily assigned to shore duty with the Pacific Fleet, Walker said.
The Navy also revised the number of sailors injured during the fire from 23 to 37, saying 36 sailors were treated for minor injuries suffered while fighting the fire and one sailor suffered minor burns. All were returned to duty shortly afterward.
The carrier was initially expected to arrive in Japan in early August to replace the USS Kitty Hawk, which is being decommissioned. The George Washington, which is now scheduled to depart San Diego in late August, is due to be stationed at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka.
The USS George Washington, the fourth Navy ship to bear the name, was commissioned July 4, 1992. It is a Nimitz class nuclear-powered supercarrier with a crew of 3,000 but can carry up to 5,000.
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