PHOTOS: How Firefighters Kept the Navy Ship Fire From Being Worse

For much of the day and into the night there were social media posts on Facebook and on neighborhood apps like Next Door.

From the South Bay to Mission Bay and out to La Mesa and even El Cajon, they smelled it. What was that smell? Some described it as the smell of burning rubber. Others thought it was a brush fire nearby and some even wondered if they were in danger.

What it was of course was the smell of the big fire miles away at the Naval shipyard at 32nd Street on board the amphibious assault ship the USS Bonhomme Richard. With the amount of black and grey smoke pouring out from the ship from Sunday morning into Sunday night, and the winds carrying it across the city, it was an indication of just how serious the fire was.

And while more than 50 sailors and civilians were injured, mostly from smoke inhalation, it could have been a lot worse. And it almost was. At one point about two hours or so after it started and San Diego fire fighters responded in mass to help federal fire fighters, they were told to evacuate the ship, with one commander saying on the radio that "things were getting a lot worse".

A fire aboard a Navy warship is a dangerous thing with ordnance and guns and ammunition possibly on board. There wasn’t much of that thankfully because the ship was undergoing routine maintenance.

But all the fire fighters, from San Diego Fire, Federal fire as well, of course, as the sailors who fought to save their ship…deserve praise for their bravery in battling something that could indeed have been a lot worse.

Update: Navy Says at least 57 sailors and civilians were injured.

(Photo credit Getty Images)