Seven crew members aboard the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Indianapolis received minor injuries after a fire broke out on the ship Wednesday, the service confirmed.
The incident was reported at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time while the ship was moored at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. Mayport Fire and Emergency Services responded to the scene immediately and extinguished the fire.
āThe cause of the incident is being reviewed,ā a Navy spokesperson said.
The service members were released shortly after arriving at local hospitals and cleared to return to the Indianapolis the same day.
Earlier this month, a fire broke out aboard the John Lewis-class fleet oiler USNS Harriet Tubman, which is under construction at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, California.
The fire was doused with limited damage and no injuries reported.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report in May that said the U.S. Navy needs to do a better of job of mitigating fire risks for ships during maintenance periods.
Between May 2008 and July 2020, there were 15 major fire incidents aboard Navy ships, thirteen of which occurred on those undergoing maintenance.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
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