Explosion, fire on naval ship in San Diego leaves 21 injured

Seventeen sailors and four civilians sustained non-life threatening injuries on Sunday morning, after an explosion caused a three-alarm fire on board the USS Bonhomme Richard at the U.S. Naval Base in San Diego.

The injured are being treated at an area hospital, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. San Diego Fire Chief Colin Stowell told CNN the ship could burn for days, "down to the water line." He also said the explosion took place as personnel were leaving the ship.

The USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault ship, was undergoing maintenance. When the fire broke out, there were 160 people on board. It is unclear what started the blaze.

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