The US Navy's amphibious assault ship is still burning. Why is the US Navy's amphibious assault ship burning?

China News Service, July 14 (Xinhua) According to foreign media reports, a fire broke out on the USS Bonhomme Richard amphibious assault ship, which was docked at the San Diego Naval Base in California for maintenance, on the 12th. As of the afternoon of the 13th local time, the fire was still ongoing and at least 57 people were injured.

It is reported that about 400 naval soldiers are involved in firefighting. At least 57 people have been injured, including 34 navy soldiers and 23 civilians. Official sources said all the injured have been discharged from the hospital.

The cause of the fire is reportedly still under investigation. Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck said the Navy believes the fire started in the bottom cargo hold where offshore equipment and vehicles are stored.

It is reported that Sobek said at a press conference on the 13th that the temperature of the heat source in the fire was as high as 1,000 degrees. In such high temperatures, soldiers carried out firefighting shifts every 15 minutes.

Asked whether the ship could be saved, Sobeck said: "Absolutely there is hope because we have sailors working hard." Sobeck acknowledged that the ship's Halon fire-extinguishing system, which could have put out the initial fire, did not activate because it was undergoing maintenance at the time.

The total cost of the attack ship is estimated at $761 million, according to the Federation of American Scientists. It is currently docked in San Diego, undergoing nearly $250 million worth of maintenance and updates.