USS New Orleans Fire Response Hindered by Initial Confusion, Investigation Shows

Damage from the Aug. 20, 2025, blaze onboard USS New Orleans (LPD-18). The green liquid is from a burst chemical dye pack. US Navy photo A single cigarette or vape may have started a fire in a storeroom onboard amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD-18) in August 2025 but key crew failures enabled the blaze to continue for 11 hours before it was extinguished, according to a newly released command investigation.

The 46-page investigation was completed in November and released Friday to USNI News via a public records request. The report describes how the crew of New Orleans, which was anchored near White Beach, Okinawa, at the time of the fire, benefited from lessons derived from the catastrophic 2020 fire that destroyed amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard. But investigators found that poor storage practices – including a large supply of toilet paper – and lack of knowledge hindered and prolonged fighting the fire.

Nonetheless, the investigation concludes, “All responders demonstrated courage and resilience, fighting the fire throughout the night. This investigation concludes it should not have taken over 11 hours to extinguish the fire but recognizes mitigating factors and provides recommendations to prevent future ships from facing the same challenges.”

In total, the fire caused an estimated $12 million in damage. No moderate or severe injuries were reported, and the ship was able to continue with its planned operating schedule. Contrasting with the Bonhomme Richard catastrophe, the investigation noted, the leadership of New Orleans maintained effective command and control over the course of firefighting efforts, and the ship received effective assistance from other Navy assets in the region, all of which limited the extent of the damage.

USS New Orleans (LPD-18) on Aug. 20. 2025. NHK image “New Orleans returned to service in January 2026 and deployed across the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations. While operating in the U.S. 5th Fleet, New Orleans conducted maritime blockade security operations in the northern Arabian Sea. The ship’s return to sustained operational service is a testament to the crew’s ability to absorb a material setback, learn from it, and get back into the fight,” a Navy spokesperson said in a statement to USNI News about the investigation. “The insights gained from this incident have been integrated into damage control training and inspection requirements across the Navy, helping ensure that sailors and Marines throughout the force are better prepared to respond when casualties occur in the future.”

At the time of the fire, New Orleans – homeported in Sasebo, Japan – had recently concluded an extended maintenance availability and had begun Basic Phase Training ahead of its next deployment. On August 20, 2025, the ship had anchored and set its readiness conditions at the highest level, Condition 1A, to conduct amphibious warfare training operations.

The fire started around 3:20 p.m., originating in a 6th-deck special clothing storeroom packed with hard hats, flotation vests and approximately 100 boxes filled with toilet paper “stacked to the overhead,” the investigation found. As lights were found in the off position and nothing was plugged into the outlets, Naval Criminal Investigative Service officials concluded that “human interaction” – likely smoking or vaping, but possibly other “intentional … igniting” caused the fire.

The ship’s HAZMAT leading petty officer, a boatswain’s mate second class, “initially disclosed to NCIS that he heard rumors of unauthorized smoking” near where the fire started, but later denied it, the investigation stated. No other witnesses reported similar rumors.

Within three minutes of the fire’s start, alarms were heard and a sounding and security team sent to investigate. While the alarm contained information about where the fire was, the executive officer of the watch and the damage control console operator didn’t understand how to interpret it, investigators found. As a result, the teams spent precious minutes locating smoke and heat indicators. The ship’s skipper and executive officer personally observed smoke coming from starboard-side vents on New Orleans before the fire’s origin was located and containment zones established around 3:43 p.m., officials found.

If the alarm signals had been understood, “the ship may have located the fire within the first 10 minutes,” investigators found.

The investigation also took issue with how the fire-affected area was secured, noting that boundaries were incorrectly set and not all compartments were closed within the area, making it harder to fight the fire and increasing chances of a “reflash.” The report also cited confusion due to lack of training on how to operate the sprinkler system. While the system was designed to kick in automatically based on a temperature differential sensor, the chief engineer and engineering senior enlisted believed them to be manually activated and wasted valuable time trying to activate them, the investigation found.

Ultimately, the greatest hindrance to the effort proved to be the overfilled supply room, which obstructed sprinklers and “contributed to the fire’s intensity and duration,” investigators found.

USS New Orleans (LPD-18) on Aug. 20. 2025. NHK image By 3:59 p.m., commanding officer Capt. Kevin Dean had called general quarters and authorized the declaration of a major fire. Amphibious transport dock USS San Diego (LPD-22) responded, contributing 80 sailors to the firefighting effort. Hours later, as efforts continued, four Japanese tugs and two Japan Coast Guard vessels joined to help fight the fire.

Around 1:30 a.m., the waterfront chief engineer arrived onboard New Orleans and observed that the crew had a handle on the fire – the crisis was over.

The investigation didn’t point to specific personnel or leadership factors that contributed to circumstances that caused or worsened the fire. The investigation did note the crew was exhausted from firefighting efforts and had been away from homeport for 55 days out of the last year at the time of the fire.

Investigators recommended the Navy update relevant training and instruction documents and that Naval Sea Services Command develop inspection guidelines for storerooms to prevent overfilling. They included a handful of recommendations for New Orleans, including a director to inspect all storerooms, to ensure the ship was brought in line with best practices.

While the probe recommended “appropriate administrative action” for the commanding officer, chief engineer and damage control assistant due to their leadership roles and overall accountability, it also recommended that 10 sailors be recognized for meritorious performance during the crisis.

In particular, the report cited five petty officers who entered the fire zone more than 20 times to assist with damage control. They each received the Navy Achievement Medal for their actions, the investigation said. It also highlighted a hull technician who entered the fire to lead out a shipmate who had become lost and disoriented in the smoke.

“Her heroism saved the life of a fellow service member and brought great pride to the entire crew of New Orleans,” investigators said.

The hull technician was awarded a Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal in the wake of the blaze.