Concern in Groton after USS Miami fire

GROTON, Conn. (WTNH) -- The fire is out, but there are still worries about the condition of the USS Miami, which caught fire Wednesday night while undergoing scheduled maintenance at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

On a day when veterans were honored and remembered at the submarine base by Vitas Innovative Hospice Care, thoughts also turned to the fire on the USS Miami . Built at Electric Boat and homeported in Groton, it was undergoing an overhaul at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard when a fire broke out in the forward section of the boat.

"I don't like to see that happen," Navy veteran George Vredenburgh said Thursday.

"I just didn't believe it," said veteran Bob Edmond, who was concerned about the crew members. "Once you have a fire on a boat, bad."

Joe Quartarella owns Nautilus Barber Shop. He gets a lot of customers from the Miami when they're in Groton. He even has a personalized picture from one of the captains of the ship.

"The first thing in my mind was terrorism," Quaratella said.

The Navy says there is no evidence this was a terrorist attack, but an investigation is underway.

While the USS Miami is homeported here in Groton, the crew does travel with the ship. We're told none of the crew members was living on board when the fire broke out and everyone is accounted for.

Seven others who were fighting the fire did suffer minor injuries.

"Any tragedy like that is real bad," Quaratella said. "They're very expensive, very expensive for the country to maintain, and of course the men; you don't want to see them get hurt."

All 120 crew members of the Miami and 13 officers are safe. They will stay in New Hampshire during the twenty month overhaul.