Navy prosecutors alleged Monday that a sailor charged with setting the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard last year was “disgruntled” after dropping out of Navy SEAL training, while his defense lawyers said there was no physical evidence connecting him to the blaze. The fire sent acrid smoke wafting over San Diego for days. Two explosions - one heard as far as 13 miles (21 kilometers) away - caused the fire to grow. Winds coming off San Diego Bay whipped up the flames that shot up the elevator shafts and exhaust stacks. He described how he assisted firefighters, alerted at least one crew member of the threat and eventually helped fight the blaze, according to the documents. Mays told investigators he was in the hangar bay when he became aware of the fire, according to court documents. Investigators also found uncapped bottles containing small amounts of highly flammable liquid near the ignition site, including one that tested positive for a heavy petroleum distillate such as diesel, kerosene or jet fuel, according to the documents. Officials assessing the ship’s damage found three of four fire stations on the ship had evidence of tampering: Fire hoses had been disconnected and one was cut, according to court documents. They have collected more than 28,000 pages of material and hours of video to build their case.ĭefense lawyers objected to the hearing, saying they were not given enough time to review the evidence against Mays. Navy prosecutors argued the case was carefully investigated. “Were there other individuals on the ship with lighters?" Barthel asked the lead fire investigator for the Navy, who agreed there likely were. Left with extensive structural, electrical and mechanical damage, the billion-dollar ship was scrapped.ĭefense Attorney Gary Barthel pointed out no DNA linked to Mays was found at the scene and he questioned why investigators concluded Mays did it just because they found a lighter among his belongings. More than 60 sailors and civilians were treated for minor injuries, heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. Scheduled to testify Tuesday is a key witness for the government, a crew member who reported seeing Mays go down to the ship's lower storage area where investigators say cardboard boxes were ignited.Ībout 160 sailors and officers were on board when the fire started on the 840-foot (256-meter) vessel, which had been docked at Naval Base San Diego while undergoing a two-year, $250 million upgrade. The hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a military trial. The fire was the worst noncombat Navy warship blaze in recent memory. Sailor Accused of Igniting USS Bonhomme Richard Fire Denies Involvement: Lawyer
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