Shipboard emergency teams were immediately dispatched to fight the flames, with initial response handled by part of the crew. Around 5:00 p.m., the duty officer at Camp Foster informed the Japanese Coast Guard in Nakagusuku of the incident and requested tugboats to support operations.
Soon after, four vessels joined the effort on both sides of the bow, including two from the Japanese Coast Guard and two from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Their primary task was to cool the hull in the critical forward section of the ship.
According to Japanese Coast Guard officials, the Camp Foster duty officer coordinating the firefighting ordered the tugboats to withdraw about one nautical mile from LPD 18 at 5:55 p.m. However, at 7:28 p.m. the tug captains received a request to resume their operations.
While no official details were disclosed on the exact origin of the fire, firefighting activity focused on the forward hull section where living quarters and supply storerooms are located. Observers noted heavy smoke rising from the bow deck for an extended period.
Emergency crews from the nearby USS San Diego (LPD 22), docked at White Beach Naval Facility, also assisted the New Orleans crew. The fire was reported extinguished at 4:00 a.m. after nearly 12 hours of continuous work.
Despite the long exposure to high temperatures, there were no fatalities, and only two sailors suffered minor burns treated in the ship’s medical ward. Most of the crew remained aboard in case additional actions were required, while part of the non-essential crew was transferred to the USS San Diego.
The extent of damage to the ship has not been disclosed, though it is believed to be significant. USS New Orleans has previously faced technical challenges, requiring 400,000 additional man-hours after commissioning to reach operational readiness and failing its mandatory INSURV inspection.
The vessel was ordered on December 18, 1998, laid down on October 14, 2002, and launched on December 11, 2004. It was commissioned on March 10, 2007, but embarked on its first operational voyage only on January 9, 2009.
This is not the first incident involving USS New Orleans, as the ship was involved in a collision on March 20, 2009, with the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768) in the Strait of Hormuz.
