Good luck explaining what AFFF is to those here who think that there is nothing more than steel in the various compartments.
You sound like your ex-Navy and would understand the radiation effect from one compartment to another. Many think a warship is just a big metal box and that steel doesn't burn, and know nothing about heat transfer between spaces. Sheesh.
I remember someone on my ship saying that he heard the British navy just seals their hatches and lets the fire go out in the compartments by oxygen deprivation.
Of course, that was just hearsay, and these amphibs have hugh compartments.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam. They need crews inside the ship fighting the fire, and sailors that know the layout of the ship. Hose teams and donkey dicks. Praying for the sailors and their family’s.
VA-35
CAG-8
U.S.S. Nimitz
So, local news carried a press conference with ADM Sobeck. He said the fire was in the well deck/vehicle platform area. This area does have an AFFF sprinkler system, so I can only assume it was down for some reason. Maybe being worked on by contractors. Also, this space (well deck/vehicle ramps/vehicle platforms) runs about 2/3 the length of the ship.