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Nuclear Submarine Fires: Man Gets 17 Years

..But his lawyer said Fury’s actions were influenced by his depression and anxiety, and that he never intended to harm anyone…..

..Fury admitted setting fire to a pile of oily rags aboard the USS Miami on May 23 last year……

Seven people were injured in the smoky blaze, which took more than 100 firefighters a dozen hours to put out.

A shipyard worker who set two fires on and near a nuclear submarine because he wanted to get off work has been sentenced to just over 17 years in federal prison.

Casey James Fury, 25, was sentenced under a deal in which he pleaded guilty to two counts of arson.

He has also been ordered to pay $400m (£264m) in restitution.

Image source ; http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/15/uss-miami-military-submarine-fire-sentence

Fury admitted setting fire to a pile of oily rags aboard the USS Miami on May 23 last year while it was in dry dock for an overhaul at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

The ensuing blaze transformed the vessel into a fiery furnace, injuring seven people and causing $450m (£297m) in damage.

It took more than 100 firefighters 12 hours to save the submarine.

Fury, a civilian painter and sand blaster, told police he needed to go home because he was suffering from an anxiety attack and had used up his holiday or sick leave.

He said he did not intend to cause such extensive damage.

The blaze damaged the sub’s forward compartments including living quarters, a command and control centre and the torpedo room. It did not reach the rear of the submarine where the nuclear propulsion components are located.

Fury watched from a pier as firefighters went down hatches and into the burning Los Angeles class-attack submarine, staying inside for only minutes at a time because of the blistering heat.

About three weeks later, Fury set a second fire outside the crippled sub, again because he wanted to leave work because of anxiety.

That fire caused little damage.

Prosecutors emphasised that Fury had tried to set a second fire after having seen the extensive damage caused by the first one.

But his lawyer said Fury’s actions were influenced by his depression and anxiety, and that he never intended to harm anyone.

March 16, 2013 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized