Fire extinguished on Navy ship at Little Creek; no one injured

[Lex]

VIRGINIA BEACH
An early morning fire aboard a Hampton Roads Navy ship has been extinguished. It caused no injuries, officials said.

The fire started just after 4 a.m. Tuesday on the second deck of the dock landing ship Whidbey Island, which is in port at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.

Investigators are still working to determine how the blaze started, said Lt. Cmdr. Jim Krohne, a Navy spokesman.

He said damage appears to have been contained to the vessel's deck department. It took crews about two hours to completely extinguish the fire.

"It could have been worse if the ship's fire team hadn't reacted so quickly," Krohne said.

Firefighters with Little Creek's fire department, with the city of Norfolk and from another ship, the Oak Hill, also responded.

The Whidbey Island has a crew of about 300 sailors. It last returned from deployment in April 2008. This March it wrapped up a yearlong midlife maintenance overhaul.

The Virginian-Pilot
© October 5, 2010