He should have tried to reach FIRE early if he hated work this much!

[CU Tiger]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/us/navy-submarine-lost/index.html

When I don't want to work, I usually just call in sick...

[mgreczyn]

I assume that what the Navy means when it says that demand for attack subs is "as strong as ever" is that they continue to sink lots of ships.

[AlmostIndependent]

I assume that what the Navy means when it says that demand for attack subs is "as strong as ever" is that they continue to sink lots of ships.

Ha!

[gdborton]

he told investigators that he started the fires because he was having extreme anxiety and was trying to get out of work

It frightens me that I share a planet with people like this....  I really don't know how that even registered as an option.

[strider3700]

as a cdn who's payed a bit of attention to our used subs money pit  scrapping it was the best move at that point.

[dragoncar]

Why would a submarine have enough flammable material to cause such extensive damage (outside of fuel and munitions)?

[AlmostIndependent]

Why would a submarine have enough flammable material to cause such extensive damage (outside of fuel and munitions)?

There is plenty of fuel for a fire on a ship/submarine, especially one in the shipyard; wiring, lots of electronics, plastics,  paint on pretty much everything, seat cushions, mattresses, solvents, etc.

[dragoncar]

Why would a submarine have enough flammable material to cause such extensive damage (outside of fuel and munitions)?

There is plenty of fuel for a fire on a ship/submarine, especially one in the shipyard; wiring, lots of electronics, plastics,  paint on pretty much everything, seat cushions, mattresses, solvents, etc.

Sounds like poor design.  There's going to be fire at war.  If a couple burning rags destroy the ship, I'd like my money back.

[NumberJohnny5]

Sounds like poor design.  There's going to be fire at war.  If a couple burning rags destroy the ship, I'd like my money back.

It was in drydock. While the article doesn't go into details, I wouldn't be surprised if many of the systems were offline so they could be checked/fixed/upgraded. Systems like fire suppression and containment.

[jambongris]

Fury was working inside the Miami on May 23 as a painter and sandblaster while the Los Angeles-class attack submarine was at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine undergoing a massive overhaul.

I had to read that sentence twice. The Miami was a Los Angeles-class submarine in Portsmouth.

[AlmostIndependent]

Sounds like poor design.  There's going to be fire at war.  If a couple burning rags destroy the ship, I'd like my money back.

It was in drydock. While the article doesn't go into details, I wouldn't be surprised if many of the systems were offline so they could be checked/fixed/upgraded. Systems like fire suppression and containment.

In shipyard they're missing the only thing that makes all those systems work effectively: the crew.

[ender]

Sounds like poor design.  There's going to be fire at war.  If a couple burning rags destroy the ship, I'd like my money back.

A sub is a lot less likely to take a non-fatal strike which might cause damage in war than a surface ship.

Course, still would make sense to use as much fire-resistant material as possible.

[dragoncar]

Sounds like poor design.  There's going to be fire at war.  If a couple burning rags destroy the ship, I'd like my money back.

It was in drydock. While the article doesn't go into details, I wouldn't be surprised if many of the systems were offline so they could be checked/fixed/upgraded. Systems like fire suppression and containment.

In shipyard they're missing the only thing that makes all those systems work effectively: the crew.

These are plausible answers.  Still, the building I live in has done some remodeling and, shocker, they left the sprinkler system on.  Then, when they upgraded the fire alarms, there was a fire watch in which the watchers patrolled the building 24/7 for a few weeks.  And we're civilians in a building worth significantly less than $400 million.

[CU Tiger]

he told investigators that he started the fires because he was having extreme anxiety and was trying to get out of work

It frightens me that I share a planet with people like this....  I really don't know how that even registered as an option.

I guess he won't have to worry about going to work for about 20 years. I still think calling out sick would have been my solution - but the world is full of stupidity.

[Jwesleym]

Unfortunately, even fire resistant materials burn in the right conditions. Even metal will burn when hot enough. This was one of those unfortunate perfect storm situations, and it is sad that it happened.  I'm just glad no one was hurt.

[sol]

This was one of those unfortunate perfect storm situations, and it is sad that it happened.

You mean the unfortunate perfect storm of submarine + matches + arsonist?

[Jwesleym]

You mean the unfortunate perfect storm of submarine + matches + arsonist?

There had to be many factors (other than the loser having a bad day) that allowed it to get that bad, because there are a lot of fire retardant features on a sub.