Skip to comments.
Report: Fire on carrier GW was 'entirely preventable'
The Virginian-Pilot ^
| 6 Oct 08
| Matthew Jones
Posted on 10/06/2008 6:17:06 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
The May fire aboard the carrier George Washington that injured 37 sailors, caused $70 million in damage and delayed the ships forward deployment to Japan was entirely preventable, according to the Pacific Fleet commander in a final report made public Friday.
Adm. Robert Willard faulted the ships leadership for improperly handling the conditions that led to the fire. And he blamed inadequate firefighting training for the long amount of time it took to locate and extinguish the fire.
Willard also aimed higher, questioning naval leaders in Hawaii, San Diego and Norfolk about possible shortcomings while the ship was undergoing training and about deficiencies that appear to be systemic and may call for an overhaul of carrier manning and training processes.
The George Washington left Norfolk for its new homeport in Yokosuka, Japan, in April. On May 22, a fire began in one of the carriers unmanned auxiliary boiler exhaust and supply uptake spaces. The blaze grew quickly, fed by large amounts of improperly stored hazardous materials.
It took the ships leaders nearly eight hours to track down the source of the blaze, by which time the fire had spread across eight stories from the ships 6th deck to its 02 level damaging more than 80 spaces. Near its origin, the fire caused significant damage to the ships structure, equipment and electrical cabling.
The crew fought the fire for 12 hours. Had it not been for training and equipment shortfalls, Willard wrote, the damage could have been much less.
The blaze was pegged to unauthorized smoking near flammable refrigerant oil that shouldnt have been there.
(Excerpt) Read more at hamptonroads.com ...
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: georgewashington; navair; navy; uasmokers
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-33 next last
Ouch.
To: GATOR NAVY
2
posted on
10/06/2008 6:25:03 PM PDT
by
huldah1776
( Worthy is the Lamb)
To: GATOR NAVY
Several careers ended, I presume.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
3
posted on
10/06/2008 6:25:16 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.)
To: GATOR NAVY
George Washing leaves San Diego Aug 2008
4
posted on
10/06/2008 6:29:19 PM PDT
by
GitmoSailor
(AZ Cold War Veteran====McCain/Palin 2OO8==My Mouse is a MOOSE=Donate to FR)
To: GATOR NAVY
George Washing leaves San Diego Aug 2008
5
posted on
10/06/2008 6:29:55 PM PDT
by
GitmoSailor
(AZ Cold War Veteran====McCain/Palin 2OO8==My Mouse is a MOOSE=Donate to FR)
To: GATOR NAVY
Political Correctness and Affirmative Action march on.
6
posted on
10/06/2008 6:31:12 PM PDT
by
Iron Munro
(Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself)
To: GitmoSailor
Sorry for double post.It only left San Diego one time!!!!!...and Washington.............
7
posted on
10/06/2008 6:32:26 PM PDT
by
GitmoSailor
(AZ Cold War Veteran====McCain/Palin 2OO8==My Mouse is a MOOSE=Donate to FR)
To: GATOR NAVY
If Congresscritters had 1/10 of the accountability of naval officers...
8
posted on
10/06/2008 6:40:20 PM PDT
by
omega4412
To: ConorMacNessa
I would think so. I remember reading that the Captain & XO were fired. I didn’t realize that it would go higher.
9
posted on
10/06/2008 6:43:39 PM PDT
by
quikdrw
(Life is tough....it's even tougher if you are stupid.)
To: GATOR NAVY
I'm glad I'm retired from the Navy. The Navy was forced into a PC nightmare in which sailors cannot be repremanded because it will "hurt someone's self-esteem." So chiefs, who used to run a tight Navy by kicking ass (literally) are reduced to pleading with Seaman Apprentice Screwup to please, please be more careful. Female recruits routinely burst into tears because their training CPOs are "mean" to them. G-d help us in the next war.
The Russian Navy may be a shadow of its former self, but my Navy isn't in much better shape. A President Obama will end the US Navy once and for all.
To: ConorMacNessa
If they cleaned huse in the USAF over the nosecones, the Navy is going to bleed ADMs.
11
posted on
10/06/2008 6:48:41 PM PDT
by
ASOC
(Have a nice day, just don't have it around me (bumper sticker))
To: omega4412
12
posted on
10/06/2008 6:53:40 PM PDT
by
GATOR NAVY
(guess I'm just a spudboy)
To: pabianice
I thank the Almighty that I retired BEFORE there were women on ships. It boggles the mind to contemplate what it would be like for some sailor to start crying when I directed or reprimanded one of them for one reason or another.
In my era it was Zumwalt who, IMHO destroyed the Navy I knew, the one in which you earned privileges, not entitled to them.
13
posted on
10/06/2008 6:54:11 PM PDT
by
PISANO
To: GATOR NAVY
The blaze was pegged to unauthorized smoking near flammable refrigerant oil that shouldnt have been there.Ya think?
14
posted on
10/06/2008 7:18:42 PM PDT
by
John123
(The US may be going down the drain, but everyone else will drown first...)
To: GATOR NAVY
Inadequate training? I thought our navy was second to none when it came to damage control?
15
posted on
10/06/2008 7:29:36 PM PDT
by
MSF BU
(++)
To: GATOR NAVY
The blaze was pegged to unauthorized smoking near flammable refrigerant oil that shouldnt have been there. Two wrongs make a wronger?
16
posted on
10/06/2008 8:02:33 PM PDT
by
JEH_Boston
(There's a landslide coming.....)
To: magslinger
To: Vroomfondel; SC Swamp Fox; Fred Hayek; NY Attitude; P3_Acoustic; Bean Counter; investigateworld; ...
SONOBUOY PING!
Click on pic for past Navair pings.
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.
18
posted on
10/07/2008 4:43:34 AM PDT
by
magslinger
(A politician who thinks he is above the law is actually beneath contempt.)
To: JEH_Boston
This goes back to the Skipper and his XO, and it appears, higher command. Looks like there’s accountability in the Navy under Bob Gates, and that’s good.
Best,
Chris
19
posted on
10/07/2008 4:46:09 AM PDT
by
section9
(Major Motoko Kusanagi says, "Jesus is Coming. Everybody look busy...")
To: PISANO
I thank the Almighty that I retired BEFORE there were women on ships. It boggles the mind to contemplate what it would be like for some sailor to start crying when I directed or reprimanded one of them for one reason or another. Roger that.
20
posted on
10/07/2008 5:31:10 AM PDT
by
CPOSharky
(Blaming CO2 for global warming is like blaming your thermometer for your kid's fever.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-33 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson