SAN DIEGO — This story has been updated to include a comment from NASSCO.
More than one hundred residents in south San Diego are suing Navy contractors for their role in the USS Bonhomme Richard fire that burned in San Diego Bay, sending large plumes of smoke hovering over San Diego for nearly five days in July of 2020.
In a new federal complaint, residents say contractors General Dynamics, NASSCO, and United Support Services contributed to the massive fire that destroyed the warship. The contractors did so, according to the lawsuit, while performing maintenance on the ship and by leaving boxes and failing to stow flammable materials in safe, fireproof locations on board the warship.
The fire that erupted, says the lawsuit, sent pollutants into the air where they remained for weeks. Residents say efforts to seal the doors and windows were fruitless and they breathed in those pollutants, causing ear, nose, eye, and throat conditions, as well as respiratory issues. Many say they still suffer neurological and upper respiratory conditions from the pollutants.
"As the ship burned for five days and continues to discharge smoke and toxic substances for an even longer period of time, plaintiff's homes and workplaces became inescapable gas chambers," reads the lawsuit. "As the days passed plaintiffs continued to suffer from intense headaches, breathing difficulties, asthma-like symptoms, eye irritation, and a toxic smell that caused anxiety and fear."
In a statement to CBS 8, attorneys for residents Rory Pendergast and Robert Fitzpatrick say they hope the lawsuit will hold all parties accountable.
"This was an unfortunate event for all involved, especially for the victims whose only role is that they happened to live near the USS Bonhomme Richard," stated the attorneys. "We look forward to getting a just and fair outcome for the victims."
Friday, July 15 the Navy announced that it disciplined more than two dozen sailors as well as the former commander of its U.S. Pacific Fleet for their role in the fire.
The punishment included reprimand letters and forfeitures of pay for others.
Meanwhile, the sailor who is accused of starting the fire, Ryan Sawyer Mays, will stand trial this coming September on charges of arson and willfully hazarding a vessel.
In a statement, a spokesperson for NASSCO said the company "is aware of the federal complaint regarding the 2020 USS Bonhomme Richard fire at the 32nd Street Naval Base and cannot comment on active litigation.”
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