A fire sparked by construction prompted a massive response to the Midway Museum moored along the Embarcadero in downtown San Diego.
A spark from some welding started the fire on two decks below the flightdeck on the decommissioned Navy ship that has been transformed into a maritime museum.
Smoke was reported around 5:30 a.m. but due to the location of the fire, a third-alarm was called just after 6 a.m. Dozens of emergency vehicles lined Harbor Drive in front of the Broadway Pier.
San Diego Fire-Rescue tweeted the location of the fire.
About two hours after the initial call, firefighters said they had the fire knocked down.
The ship has a lot of hidden spaces and compartments so it took a while to find the heat source, said San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson Joe Amador.
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“Some of that slag that’s created from the heat of the welder’s torch may have gotten down into a crevice somewhere in one of those hidden compartments,” Amador said.
Perhaps a dozen construction workers were converting some areas into additional overnight spaces and it was the construction in those spaces that caused the problem, the museum marketing director said.
The location of the fire was just below the fire deck out on the bow, according to marketing director Scott McGaugh.
“It was very forward on the ship fairly far from the bulk of the public space,” McGaugh said. “It’s pretty remote.”
He added that the museum has a modern-day sprinkler system.
Damage was estimated at $5,000 according to fire officials.
The museum was expected to be open Wednesday as scheduled.
A popular destination for tourists and locals alike, the Midway was ranked among the best museums in the United States last year, according to TripAdvisor.
Set aboard one of America’s longest-serving aircraft carriers, the museum boasts 60 exhibits and also houses 29 restored aircraft.
Check back for updates in this developing story.
