Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet released the below statement surrounding the damage assessment of the USS George Washington (CVN 73) following a fire at sea on Thursday, May 22:
Navy officials have nearly completed a comprehensive damage assessment following the shipboard fire aboard George Washington that occurred on May 22 while at sea. The source of the fire has not yet been determined, but the fire was located in a ventilation intake/exhaust trunk that led from the lower decks of the ship to a ventilation port on the ship's outer hull several decks above. In addition to providing a ventilation path for non-critical machinery components that are located below the ship's waterline, the trunk has numerous piping and cabling runs located within it.
Damage to USS George Washington is primarily electrical in nature with some associated structural and mechanical repairs required. Fire and heat affected electrical cabling and components running through approximately 80 spaces of the more than 3800 total spaces on the carrier. The heat generated by the fire damaged a small portion of interior structural plating which will require either repair or replacement. Piping and related valves that were exposed to heat from the fire have been inspected and will require a minimal amount of repairs. Electrical cables in the vicinity of the intake/exhaust trunk were damaged and will require repair and in some cases, replacement.
Personnel from Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive Officer - Carriers, Commander Naval Air Forces, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, , Norfolk Naval Shipyard and the local private sector are involved in the assessment.