Fire breaks out aboard USS Abraham Lincoln as it leaves port, 9 sailors injured

Erika I. Ritchie

The Orange County Register

(TNS)

Nine sailors serving on the USS Abraham Lincoln have been treated for minor injuries after a fire broke out on the aircraft carrier the day it left San Diego to train off Southern California, Navy officials said announced Wednesday, Nov. 30.

The fire broke out in the early morning Tuesday and was quickly extinguished by the crew, Lt. Samuel Boyle, a 3rd Fleet spokesman, said.

Details on how large the fire was, where it started and what type of fire it was were not released, but Boyle said the ship’s crew was able to handle it and didn’t need other assistance from aircraft or ships.

The ship was about 30 miles off the coast of Southern California when the incident occurred. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Boyle said, adding that a determination will be made later to see if there will be any impact on how long the ship remains out to sea or what it will do next.

Six of the nine sailors were treated for dehydration and Boyle did not elaborate on what the other sailors were treated for, but said the injuries were “minor.” They were all treated in the ship’s main medicine department.

The ship does not need to return to port because of the fire, he said.

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