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Fire Forces Evacuation of USS Lexington
(CORPUS CHRISTI) -- "The Blue Ghost" survived Japanese destroyers and aircraft during World War Two, and today the U.S.S. Lexington, which is now a floating museum in Corpus Christi Bay, survived a two alarm fire which forced the evacuation of tourists and employees."There was a fire in a compartment on a level below the top level," Corpus Christi Fire Captain James Brown said. "It was in a room that housed many old flags and maps." He says there were no injuries. Fire investigators are looking into the cause of the fire. He says about 200 people were on board at the time the fire broke out, about 11 this morning. "I would think that there was some damage" to the artifacts, Brown said. "The reports that I have is that it was not a very big compartment, so anything in that room I would say received at least smoke and water damage." He didn't know what sorts of artifacts were in the room. The Lexington was decommissioned in 1991 after fifty years in service, including active duty in World War Two, Korea, and Vietnam. It is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Texas, permanently moored on Corpus Christi Bay near the Texas State Aquarium. Posted by: Sherry 2007-08-02 |
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