There was a fire on Wednesday on board the USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock ship, while it was sailing off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. Two sailors were injured in the fire, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet confirmed in a statement.
Fire at White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa
The blaze, which began as the 684-foot-long ship was close to the White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa, lasted almost 12 hours until it was put out. Sailors aboard were aided by the crew of another warship that transports troops and aircraft, USS San Diego, as well as assistance from the Japanese Coast Guard and military.
The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet reports that the fire onboard the San Antonio-Class Amphibious Transport Dock, USS New Orleans (LPD-18), has finally been declared extinguished after over 12 hours of firefighting efforts by the ships crew, supported by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense… pic.twitter.com/037BPlQUTr
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 20, 2025
Although the ship was damaged, the Navy stated that the crew of USS New Orleans will still be on board.
USS New Orleans Fire Cause
Commissioned in 2007, the USS New Orleans can hold 800. The reason for the fire on Wednesday is under investigation, officials say.
This recent incident follows almost five years since a huge fire burned the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego in July 2020. That fire lasted for five days and inflicted serious structural, electrical, and mechanical damage that ultimately resulted in the scrapping of the ship.
A sailor was accused at the time of igniting the fire but was subsequently acquitted. A Navy report afterward indicated wholesale failures by commanders, sailors, and other personnel in the management of the disaster.
🚨BREAKING NEWS Fire has broke out aboard the USS New Orleans off the Okinawa coast at U.S. Naval Base White Beach. No casualties reported at this time. NHK reporting Japanese Coast Guard ships assisting to put out the fire. The 684′ Northrop Grumman LPD has a crew of 400. And… pic.twitter.com/gjabwZZBdZ
— #TheFreeHawaiian (@free_hawaiian) August 20, 2025
Footage showing firefighting ships with the Japanese Coast Guard fighting a fire onboard the San Antonio-Class Amphibious Transport Dock, USS New Orleans (LPD-18), off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. pic.twitter.com/czcUFgvSO8
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 20, 2025
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
