Crews were responding to the fire in the early evening local time, a Navy spokesperson told Newsweek. The blaze was reported as contained and there were no injuries, although the extent of the damage was still unclear, News Week reported.
Japan hosts the largest number of American service members anywhere in the world outside of U.S. territory. The U.S. military's presence in Japan—part of a decades-long security treaty arrangement—at times has been a point of frustration for the local population, with accidents closely scrutinized.
Okinawa, a military hub and the largest of Japan's southwestern islands, houses garrisons of every single U.S. armed forces branch, with the operations of the Okinawa naval base spanning over a dozen key sites. Around two-thirds of the 52,000 U.S. troops in Japan are stationed across the island.
The Japan coast guard learned about the fire onboard the New Orleans just after 5 p.m. local time, when crews responding to the incident put in the first of two requests for firefighting assistance near the White Beach naval facility, according to Japanese broadcast NHK.
Black smoke was seen rising from the vessel, and footage aired by local news station RBC showed a tug boat spraying a column of water at the ship's bow. An All-Nippon News Network TV crew showed firefighting efforts continuing into the night.
There were no requests to evacuate the ship's crew, the report said, and the Japan coast guard observed no oil spills.
MNA
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