A fire that burned for 12 hours aboard the amphibious warship USS New Orleans (LPD-18) off Okinawa, Japan, was declared extinguished early Thursday morning local time, U.S. 7th Fleet announced. The 25,000-ton warship is now anchored near the White Beach Naval Facility on Okinawa, according to a statement from the Japan-based fleet. “The fire began at approximately 4 p.m., Aug. 20. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. New Orleans sailors’ firefighting efforts were supported by the crew of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD-22), which is moored at White Beach Naval Facility,” reads the statement. “[The fire] was declared extinguished at 4 a.m., Aug. 21.”
Firefighting operations underway on USS New Orleans, which suffered a fire while it was off White Beach in Uruma City on the Japanese island of Okinawa, NHK footage shows on August 21, 2025. Photo: NHK
According to the sea service, two sailors suffered minor injuries and were treated aboard New Orleans. The crew will remain aboard New Orleans with additional accommodations available on San Diego and ashore. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Japan Coast Guard assets assisted with the firefighting effort, reads the 7th Fleet statement. The Japan Coast Guard told Japanese broadcaster NHK a call for assistance came from New Orleans around 5 p.m. local time, about an hour after the Navy said the fire began.
“A fire has broken out on a U.S. vessel off the coast of White Beach. The crew is currently engaged in firefighting efforts, but we have requested the Japan Coast Guard to provide firefighting assistance,” a Coast Guard official told NHK. Wednesday footage from NHK showed New Orleans off the coast of White Beach with two tugs using water cannons on the bow of the amphibious ship.
A Navy official did not have additional details on the damage the fire caused, however images from local press show the bulk of the firefighting effort in an area of the ship that is reserved mostly for stores and berthing. New Orleans is part of the Navy’s forward-deployed amphibious force based in Sasebo, Japan. In 2020, a fire aboard the former big deck amphibious warship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) burned for four days, resulting in the loss of the ship. The Navy subsequently overhauled how the service fights fires in port.
The following is the updated Aug. 20, 2025, statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.
A fire aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), which is anchored near White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, was declared extinguished at 4 a.m., Aug. 21. The fire began at approximately 4 p.m., Aug. 20. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. New Orleans Sailors’ firefighting efforts were supported by the crew of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), which is moored at White Beach Naval Facility. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force; Japan Coast Guard; and U.S. Navy commands from across Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa also provided critical support to the firefighting efforts. Two Sailors were taken to New Orleans’ medical for minor injuries. New Orleans’ crew will remain aboard the ship. Additional services and berthing are available aboard San Diego and Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa, if needed. Source: USNI News 20/08