USS Conyngham (DDG-17) - Mainspace Fire

Mainspace Fire

Conyngham suffered a severe fire on 8 May 1990, while conducting pre-deployment operations off the Virginia coast. A major fuel oil fire erupted from the ship's Forward Fire Room into the ship's superstructure, isolating the crew forward and aft. requiring an all-hands effort to extinguish it. During the mass conflagration, the Operations Officer (LCDR A. Pope Gordon, Jr.)was killed and 18 other sailors were injured, some of them severely while putting out the uncontrollable fire.

USS Conyngham was decommissioned on 20 October 1990, stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 May 1991 and sold for scrap on 15 April 1994.