16 Sailors Hurt in Fire Aboard Carrier Midway

A fire raged for several hours aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Midway today, injuring 16 crew members, at least nine seriously, and blocking attempts to find a missing sailor, the Navy said.

The accident prompted demonstrations in the ship’s home port of Yokosuka, where city officials demanded that the Midway be barred from returning until its safety had been confirmed and the cause of the fire clarified. Japanese news reports said there was concern because the Midway was capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

It was the second serious Navy accident since a series last fall that caused 14 deaths and resulted in a two-day suspension of operations in November for a safety check.

Smoke was detected aboard the Midway shortly before noon during flight exercises at sea off Japan, said Lt. Jeff Gradeck of the Public Affairs Office at the U.S. Navy base at Yokosuka, near Tokyo.

An explosion occurred on the ship about half an hour later, and a second blast followed shortly after, Gradeck said. The fire still burned more than 10 hours later but was confined to an emergency equipment storeroom four decks below the flight deck.

Asked if the injury toll meant the explosions had been large, he said: “Not necessarily. The fire hasn’t been put out yet and we just don’t know. . . . The fire has been contained in a certain area and until the fire is put out they can’t go into that area.”

The room contained wood, gas masks, fire-fighting gear and other emergency equipment, but no explosive material, he said. Gradeck added that the fire was unrelated to the flight exercises.

Nine of the injured were flown to hospitals in Japan, and seven others were treated aboard the ship, the Navy said. Of the nine, one was in critical condition, four suffered very serious burns, two were in serious condition, one was in guarded condition and one was stable.