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Sources: Misplaced oil likely caused GW fire

TOKYO — The fire aboard the aircraft carrier George Washington in May broke out after oil caught fire near a boiler on the starboard side and it is suspected the oil was placed there against regulations, sources in the Japanese and U.S. governments told Kyodo News on Monday.

The allegation is expected to arouse suspicions that the U.S. military improperly handled the burnable material on a nuclear-powered carrier and heighten safety concerns among residents in Yokosuka, a Japanese city planned for use as a home port for the carrier later this year.

The sources said the Navy will punish crew members, as well as hold the captain responsible for the accident after determining the cause of the fire.

They said Rear Adm. James Kelly, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Japan, plans to meet shortly with Yokosuka Mayor Ryoichi Kabaya, who has requested that the U.S. military fully explain the fire and prevention measures.

According to the sources, the Navy has learned that 35 gallons of oil, believed to be lubrication oil, were placed near an auxiliary boiler located on the right side and stern of the ship.

The Navy has yet to finally determine the cause of the fire but the sources said it has leaned toward a view that a spark occurred from a short circuit or static electricity and the spark ended up causing the fire on the oil nearby.

The Navy initially planned to deploy the George Washington to Yokosuka in August. But it is believed that the fire, which broke out in the Pacific Ocean off South America, and subsequent repairs on the carrier have caused a delay until September at the earliest.

The timing of deployment of the 102,000-ton carrier is a high-profile topic in Japan as the George Washington will be the first nuclear-powered carrier to use a Japanese city as a home port.