Wednesday, May 23, 2012

US Navy: 2 injured fighting nuclear submarine fire in Maine; reactor not operational at time of fire - @WMUR9

KITTERY, Maine -

A fire has been reported on a nuclear submarine at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

The Portsmouth Fire Department is responding to the fire on the USS Miami SSN 755.

Shipyard public affairs specialist Gary Hildreth says the fire is located in the forward compartment of the ship.

He says emergency personnel are on the scene.

All nonessential personnel have been evacuated from the shipyard.


Kittery Police Chief Paul Callaghan said there is no danger to the public and no evacuations in the area.

The U.S. Navy said two people were injured fighting the fire and have been taken to a local hospital. The Navy said the nuclear reactor was not operational at the time of the fire. It was not damaged by the fire.

The Portsmouth police department said they are closing parts of Pierce Island to rubberneckers, but there