Explosion on U.S. Navy Cruiser Injures Six

An explosion in the hull of a Navy cruiser during routine maintenance injured six workers in San Diego, one of them critically, authorities said.

Subcontractors from the National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. were working in the fuel tank of the USS Lake Champlain as it sat in dry dock when the explosion occurred just after noon Saturday, said San Diego Fire Department spokesman Maurice Luque.

“Apparently it was caused by flammable gas that ignited,” Luque said. “We don’t know how or why.”

Two of the workers were taken to UC San Diego Medical Center with “major trauma burns” that Luque said were life-threatening.

Two others had moderate injuries and were taken to the hospital, Luque said, and two more were treated at the scene and released.