Firefighting crews continue to engage in firefighting efforts aboard the stricken amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, which has been on fire in a San Diego shipyard since Sunday morning.
For the first time since the fire broke out, the Navy has no scheduled press conference to update progress, but Naval Surface Force Pacific spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Patricia Kreuzberger said the command “will continue to provide updates via our social media platforms.”
Navy officials reported progress in fighting the blaze during a Tuesday morning press conference and noted that the ship is stable and the structure is safe.
Photos circulating online and confirmed as authentic by a Navy official offer a birds-eye view of the damage to the flattop.
Navy officials also are warning those looking to donate financially to the Bonhomme Richard crew that they need to be wary of online scams.
A Navy Region Southwest Facebook post “urges the (Navy) family and community members to remain vigilant of fraudulent GoFundMe pages and other fraudulent charities soliciting for donations in response to the fire aboard USS Bonhomme Richard.”
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society in San Diego is accepting uniform items and donations for the Bonhomme Richard crew. Go to https://action.nmcrs.org/BHR to learn more.
All donations are being accepted via the Support the Enlisted Project, 858-695-6810, as is the USO, 619-235-6503.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
