The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in March 2019. (Brian Brannon/U.S. Navy)
Small electrical fires aboard the cruiser USS Princeton on March 12 led to a partial evacuation while the ship was docked at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in California, the Navy said Thursday.
“Out of an abundance of caution, non-essential personnel were asked to leave the ship for safety while the federal fire department was called to assist the crew’s response,” a statement from the 3rd Fleet in San Diego said. “At no point did a major fire break out, and the situation was quickly brought under control with no injuries to personnel.”
NWS Seal Beach is about 90 miles north of Naval Base San Diego.
The Navy said the Ticonderoga-class cruiser experienced an electrical “casualty” — a term for a malfunction or other dangerous situation. After the electrical issues were resolved, the ship returned to San Diego.
“Princeton has since returned to sea and is currently conducting routine training and operations,” the Navy said.
The incident was first reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Princeton, commissioned in February 1989, is among cruisers the Navy decided in 2024 to retire by 2027 instead of modernizing. Current plans call for three Ticonderoga-class cruisers — USS Gettysburg, USS Chosin and USS Cape St. George — to have their service extended until at least 2029.
The amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard caught fire at Naval Base San Diego in 2020, injuring 60 sailors and civilians. The fire took nearly five days to extinguish. The Navy scrapped the remains of the ship. A Pentagon report put the loss at $1.2 billion.
