JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 11 A.M. UPDATE: Officials say 11 sailors have reported minor injuries because of the fire aboard the USS Iwo Jima Thursday night.
Dozens of military and civilian firefighters rushed to the Iwo Jima after a fire was reported in one of the cargo holds.
Sailors on board the ship saw smoke in a cargo hold and discovered the fire at 11:45 p.m. Thursday.
It wasn't until 4:35 a.m. Friday that the flames were finally put out.
The ship was at the pier at Naval Station Mayport at the time of the fire. There was no damage to nearby ships or the pier infrastructure, according to authorities.
"Sailors are rigorously trained to combat casualties such as this fire, and we are grateful for the assistance of the installation and the local community to help ensure the safety of our people and our ships," said Capt. Darrell Canady, commanding officer of Iwo Jima.
None of the sailors were seriously injured. The injuries ranged from smoke inhalation to heat exhaustion.
They were treated at the scene and released.
According to Lt. Commander Amelia Umayam, a public affairs officer for the Iwo Jima, the fire was contained to one compartment and did not spread.
The Navy is investigating how the fire started.
Two local sailors suffered heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation after a fire on the USS Iwo Jima Thursday night, according to authorities in Mayport.
The fire broke out in a cargo hold of the ship at 11:45 p.m. and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, federal firefighters, the ship's crew and sailors from USS The Sullivans worked to extinguish the fire.
The fire was put out hours later at 4:35 a.m. Friday, officials stated.
The Navy is investigating the cause of the fire and determining the extent of the damage.
The two sailors with minor injuries were treated and released.
Iwo Jima was completing a maintenance availability and did not have any weapons or munitions aboard.
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