Watch| US Navy ship burns for 12 hours off Japan's Okinawa

A US Navy ship burned for 12 hours straight, injuring two sailors, as it was anchored in Japan’s Okinawa, the US military said in a statement. The fire was doused after hours of struggle and was completely extinguished on Thursday morning.

“The cause of the fire is currently under investigation… New Orleans’ crew will remain aboard the ship,” the US 7th Fleet said in a statement.

The fire broke out on the USS New Orleans, a transport dock ship with a crew of more than 360 sailors and capable of carrying 800 troops, at 4 pm local time on Wednesday.

Japan’s Coast Guard said that initially the US military sought assistance from Japan, but then cancelled the request before then renewing it around 7:30 pm.

🇺🇸USS New Orleans has suffered a fire while operating off the coast of 🇯🇵Okinawa.

No injuries reported, ship returned to White Beach Naval Facility.

Video @nhk_news pic.twitter.com/k2ixT1s40r

— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) August 20, 2025

More from World

From Washington to NYC: Are US cities so crime-prone that they need armed troops? Trump-Japan tariff deal hits new hurdle, Tokyo’s trade envoy cancels US trip at the last minute

Four Japanese vessels, from the Coast Guard, the navy and private contractors, spent the night dousing the blaze, spokesman Tetsuhiro Azumahiga told AFP.

At the time of the fire, the ship was anchored off the White Beach Naval Facility on the east coast of the Japanese island. The facility functions as a key staging point for US Marines and their equipment before they deploy to amphibious vessels like the USS New Orleans.

Quick Reads

View All

US changing its nuclear playbook? States offered deals to host radioactive waste: Report

‘America will not become a nation of renters’: Trump blames Biden for soaring housing prices in US

The United States has around 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, mostly on Okinawa.

The worst US Navy ship fire in recent years broke out in July 2020 aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard while it was docked in San Diego for upgrades to support F-35 fighter jets. The blaze raged for over four days, ultimately leading the Navy to scrap the billion-dollar vessel.

With inputs from agencies