USS INCHON (MCS 12), Class B Fire Main Space, 19 October 2001            

Sailor Killed in Fire Aboard USS Inchon
Oct. 23, 2001
By Mine Warfare Command Public Affairs

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (NNS) -- One Sailor died and seven were injured Oct. 19 in a fire aboard the Mine Countermeasures Command and Control Ship USS Inchon (MCS 12). Killed was Machinist's Mate Third Class Ronnie Joe Palm Jr., of Houston. He was 21 years old and had been in the Navy for two years.

The fire was discovered in the ship's Boiler Room at approximately 5:42 p.m. (local time) Oct. 19. Firefighting crews from Inchon and Naval Station Ingleside Fire Department responded to the scene, assisted by rescue and assistance teams from several other ships based at the naval station.

Crews extinguished the fire at approximately 6:26 p.m.

Six of the seven injured Sailors were treated for minor burns or smoke inhalation and released; one remains hospitalized in a local facility.

USS Inchon had completed tests of its engineering and operational systems after a regularly scheduled planned maintenance availability at Naval Station Ingleside at the time of the incident.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

More information about USS Inchon and other ships of the Mine Warfare Command can be found at http://www.cnsl.spear.navy.mil/cmwc [http://www.cmwc.navy.mil/default.aspx].