Seven firefighters hurt in fire on nuclear fire

Kittery, Maine, United States (4E) – Seven firefighters were injured Wednesday as they worked to put out a fire on the nuclear-powered submarine USS Miami at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.

The blaze was extinguished after eight hours.

The submarine’s nuclear reactor was not affected by the fire that reportedly started in the forward compartment around 5:40 p.m. and spread into the living quarters, the command and control areas and the torpedo room, according to shipyard spokesman Gary Hildreth. There were no torpedoes on board.

The reactor was not operating when the fire broke out and remains safe, Hildreth said.

The injured firefighters were treated and discharged from a local hospital.

The USS Miami was undergoing maintenance and upgrading at the shipyard. It is based at the naval base in Groton, Conn.

Rear Adm. Rick Breckenridge, commander of Submarine Group Two based in Groton, said an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire. Damage to the submarine is also being assessed and Breckenridge could not yet say if the vessel can sail again.

The rear admiral thanked firefighters from communities in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts for helping put out the fire.

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